Event

Over the past years, the European security context has changed considerably. Both traditional (Russia-Western tensions) and new threats (migration, terrorism and far-right responses) are challenging European security and stability. Not only in terms of physical, territorial security, but also in terms of societal security. Indeed, it could be argued that the future of the European integration project more broadly is under threat. Today’s changing security environment requires constant adaptations, not only at the institutional level in NATO and the EU, but also for individual states. In this seminar, we ask how the two Nordic non-NATO members, Sweden and Finland, cope with and adapt to the current security situation. How do they relate to a changing European security architecture with the EU and NATO at the core? This seminar is organized as part of the research project EUNOR, which aims to increase our understanding of how small states balance concerns about autonomy and integration in their relations with Europe and key institutions. Do small states respond to environmental changes by seeking more integration or more autonomy? How do the changing capabilities of small states affect their political room for maneuver?

Douglas Brommesson is an associate professor at Lund University, Sweden. His research interests include foreign policy analysis (FPA), media and foreign policy, and ethics in international politics. Empirically he has focused on Swedish and Nordic foreign and security policy, the mediatization of foreign policy, as well as the international norm on the responsibility to protect.

Dr Hanna Ojanen works as Jean Monnet Professor at the University of Tampere (School of Management) where she is responsible for the Degree Programme in Politics. She is also adjunct professor (docent) of international relations at the University of Helsinki. She holds a Doctorate from the European University Institute (Florence). Her previous positions include Programme Director of the Research Programme on the European Union, Finnish Institute of International Affairs, and Head of Research, Swedish Institute of International Affairs. Her research focuses mainly on inter-organisational relations (particularly EU-NATO-UN) and European and Nordic security policy. Her chapter ‘Power in Inter-organizational Relations’ will soon be published in Palgrave Handbook of Inter-organizational Relations in World Politics, edited by Rafael Biermann and Joachim A. Koops.

This seminar is part of NUPI's seminar series Norway meets Europe

You can follow the seminar directly one YouTube: