The Political Architecture of Security in the Arctic – the Case of Norway

Abstract

With receding sea ice, a new reality is taking hold in the Arctic. The purpose of this article is to explore Norway’s defense and security challenges in the region in light of this development. We argue for a broader analysis of the parameters of security policy. Although the article makes analytical distinction between security at the regional, national, and international level, these various categories do not exist in isolation but are used here for discussion purposes only. It is argued that there is a good chance of a civilized Arctic in the future, and softer national security challenges are then more likely to take precedence. However, international and regional security and defence interests will continue to be important.