Focus areas

The two detailed focus areas of this TN are first, Studies on (northern) Geopolitics, such as how geopolitics is present and has been implemented in the circumpolar North, what might mean indigenous point(s) of view of geopolitics, is northern dimension an alternative geopolitical approach, the North in world politics and economics; and what might be among key indicators of the geopolitics in a changing North; and second, Studies on Security and different security dimensions, such as how different discourses on security are implemented in the North, what are special features of Northern security, what kind of change is problem definition on security discourses and premises has been; and what kind of security factor climate change is.

Main aims

The main aims of the Thematic Network on Geopolitics and Security are on one hand, to combine the two focus areas together, promote ‘interdisciplinarity' and draw up a holistic picture on Northern (geo)politics, and on the other, to identify and analyze key indicators of northern geopolitics as well as special features of northern security.

Planned activities
Among the planned activities are first, to run annual workshops back-to-back to international meetings, and hopefully together with other UArctic's thematic networks, such as the TN on Governance and that on Local and Regional Development; second, to implement the interplay between research and teaching, between senior and young researchers as well as scientific and traditional knowledge(s), and between science and politics; third, to act as a joint platform on one hand, for UArctic Institute for Applied Circumpolar Policy and Northern Research Forum, and on the other, between the NRF and UArctic; and final, to aim to establish an international research project on the theme.

The first workshop will be organized in April 8-14, 2010 in Apatity, Russia and Kirkenes, Norway back-to-back to the Calotte Academy 2010 which is an international travelling symposium. The main theme of the Calotte Academy 2010 is "The High North in World Politics and Economics".

Members

At the first stage the Network is consisted of the following scholars and experts on political and social sciences:

• Dr. Rasmus Bertensen from Harvard University, USA
• Prof. Matthias Finger from Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland
• Dr. Gunhild Hoogenson from University of Tromsö, Norway
• Dr. Rob Huebert from University of Galgary, Canada
• Prof. Nikita Lomagin from St. Petersburg State University, Russia
• Dr. Heather Nicol from Trent University, Canada
• Dr. Larisa Riabova from Kola Science Centre, Russia
• Dr. Gleb Yarovoy from Petrozavodsk State University, Russia
• Prof. Willy Östreng from Ocean Futures, Norway.

Dr. Lassi Heininen from the University of Lapland, Finland is the lead for the Network, and he is also the chairman of the NRF Steering Committee.