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Two Norwegian soldiers patrol the Russian Border
Foto: Torgeir Haugaard / Forsvaret

Research project

Norway as an in-between for Russia: Ambivalent space, hybrid measures

This three-year project addresses the acutely relevant question of whether Norway is acquiring the precarious status of an ‘in-between’ state in the Kremlin’s eye after the watershed events of 2014 (Annexation of Crimea).

Themes

  • Security policy
  • NATO
  • Foreign policy
  • Russia and Eurasia
  • The Nordic countries

It will investigate in depth Russia’s changing official view of recent NATO engagement in the High North and of Norway’s status within this endeavor and ascertain what means of force Russia sees fit in its approach to NATO. By coupling the study of Russia’s approach with a study of NATO's changing approach to Russia in the same period, we will uncover the interactive game that shapes the challenges for Norway as a small state ‘in-between’ a resurgent Russia and inside a reinvigorated NATO, paying particular attention to how notions of hybrid warfare play out in this game. Methodologically, the study scrutinizes official statements by combining quantitative textual tools with (qualitative) discourse analysis, maximizing efficacy and rigor.

The project will produce three policy briefs with complimentary ‘brownbag’ seminars, two co-financed academic peer-reviewed articles, as well as conference participation and communication to the general public. It is co-financed with the NFR sponsored WARU project (300923).   

Project Manager

Julie Wilhelmsen
Research Professor

Participants

Kristian Lundby Gjerde
Senior Research Fellow
Anni Roth Hjermann
Researcher

New publications

Publications
Publications
Report

Russian reframing: Norway as an outpost for NATO offensives

Moscow increasingly views the ‘Collective West’ as an offensive actor and the High North as terrain for NATO ‘expansion’. Norway figures as an active partner in this endeavour. For Norway, this situation is precarious: to the degree that Norway is seen as an inimical ‘NATO in the North’, Norwegian policies across a range of issue-areas increasingly risk being perceived as actions in an existential Russia–West struggle. This is worrisome because a key pillar of official Norwegian policy towards Russia involves balancing NATO deterrence with reassurance. As the military/non-military distinction becomes blurred in the eyes of Russia this crucial balancing becomes very difficult – the intended ‘reassuring’ signal might not come across.

  • Defence and security
  • Security policy
  • NATO
  • Regions
  • Russia and Eurasia
  • The Arctic
Russian Reframing.png
  • Defence and security
  • Security policy
  • NATO
  • Regions
  • Russia and Eurasia
  • The Arctic

Themes

  • Security policy
  • NATO
  • Foreign policy
  • Russia and Eurasia
  • The Nordic countries

Project Manager

Julie Wilhelmsen
Research Professor

Participants

Kristian Lundby Gjerde
Senior Research Fellow
Anni Roth Hjermann
Researcher