Geopolitics and Geoeconomics of a ’melting’ North
The circumpolar North has been seen and defined from a pure colonial external image of a frozen and extreme periphery to an internal image of a homeland of people(s). In classical geopolitics the North was seen as a reserve of natural resources and / or a military "theatre" for patrolling, training and testing. A frozen, divided and militarized circumpolar North of the Cold War started to become warmer in late of 1980s by the thaw of an increased international cooperation between peoples, civil societies and Arctic states. This brought about a more human approach of geopolitics and constituted a significant change. Even more important was that Northern regions were finally becoming closely integrated into globalized world economics. This "geoeconomics" has meant on the one hand, different flows of globalization like e.g. flows of goods and information, and on the other hand, increasing utilization of natural, esp. energy, resources, flows of raw material and growing importance of energy security. Long-range air and water pollution represents clearly negative flows and impacts of globalization, whereas climate change has the dualistic effect of rapid warming making sea transportation possible while also creating big challenges and risks to communities, forcing them either to adapt or to become environmental refugees.
All of the above indicates that the strategic importance of a / the melting circumpolar North is growing and becoming increasingly prominent in the geopolitics and geoeconomics of the Arctic states. At the dawn of the 21st century politics and economics are, however, no longer primarily based on national structures but rather on a broader global context guided and decided by other actors. This means even stronger flows and impacts of globalization, keener integration into global economics (according to geoeconomics) and more transportation, as well as growing importance of energy security (according to classical geopolitics) which, correspondingly, involves growing competition over strategic resources and more claims on sea areas and shelves (according to national interests and security). In addition to the growing geostrategic importance of Northern energy resources and transportation routes, some thoroughly positive developments have emerged, and are emerging. These are developments that also make the circumpolar North an interesting and relevant area in world politics (at least according to civil globalization) such as e.g. the North as a "workshop" for research, the expanding diversity of Northern nature and cultures, and that the North is a stable and peaceful region.
Biographical Note: Dr. Lassi Heininen holds the position of University Lecturer as well as Adjunct Professor (Docent) of International Relations in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Lapland, Finland, while additional academic affiliations include Adjunct Professor on Geopolitics at the University of Oulu, Finland; NorFA Visiting Professor (NorFA-gästprofessor) of European and Nordic studies at Petrozavodsk State University, Russia; a Senior Research Fellow in the Center for European and Transition Studies at the University of Latvia in Riga, and a Visiting Professor on Northern Securities at the Barents Institute in Kirkenes, Norway. He also holds the status of Research Associate in the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences at the University of Akureyri and is the chairman of the Steering Committee of the Northern Research Forum, with a Secretariat at the University of Akureyri and the Stefansson Arctic Institute.
With a Ph.D. in Social Sciences, Heininen's fields of specialization include: international relations of, and security in, (North) Europe and the Circumpolar North; geopolitics of Eurasia; regional development and inter-regional cooperation, focusing on North Europe; European Northern Dimension policy; and environmental politics incl. nuclear safety issues.
Ágúst Þór Árnason
Háskólinn á Akureyri
Félagsvísinda- og lagadeild
Sólborg v/Norðurslóð
IS-600 Akureyri
Sími 460-8657
Bréfsími 460-8996
GSM 899-3035
Netfang agust@unak.is
