Research on friendships in the Arctic

NUPI has received seven million NOK in funding from the Research Council for the project «Power Politics and Security in the Arctic «(POPSARC), which aims to study the dynamics among Western allies operating in or near the Arctic in a rapidly changing international security context.

– In recent years, great power rivalries and hard security policies have increasingly made their mark in the Arctic. In this project, we want to explore what this does to the dynamics among Western allies in the Arctic in a challenging geopolitical situation, says senior researcher and project leader Kristin Haugevik.

In a world characterized by major conflicts and climate challenges, it is also important to understand friendly interactions and what sets their goals and perspectives apart.

– In the face of common threats and crises, Western states have often been able to find pragmatic solutions. At the same time, we know that there are also different interests and approaches within the group often referred to as 'like-minded.' We want to gain a better understanding of these differences, explains Haugevik.

In the project, NUPI researchers will study how the Nordic countries, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom approach security in the Arctic. Separate work packages will examine diplomatic and military interactions, as well as governance and cooperation on digital technology and infrastructure in the Arctic.

The project will start in the spring of 2024. In addition to Haugevik, NUPI researchers Lars Gjesvik, Øyvind Svendsen, Karsten Friis, and Niels Nagelhus Schia will participate.

Furthermore, NUPI wil received 45 million NOK from the government to establish a research center for geopolitics.

• Read more about it here: Government allocates NOK 45 million to Geopolitics Research Center led by NUPI