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Liberal values or realist interests? an analysis of the shifting security narratives in the Arctic Region

Mini Dissertation (MA (Security Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2022.

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Other Authors: Fioramonti, Lorenzo
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2023
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Fioramonti, Lorenzo
author_browse Fioramonti, Lorenzo
author_facet Fioramonti, Lorenzo
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2022 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Mini Dissertation (MA (Security Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2022.
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institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:39:16.035Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2023
publishDateRange 2023
publishDateSort 2023
publisher University of Pretoria
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spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/89334 Liberal values or realist interests? an analysis of the shifting security narratives in the Arctic Region Fioramonti, Lorenzo carlasonc@gmail.com Soncini, Carla UCTD National security Liberalism Realism The Arctic Militarisation Mini Dissertation (MA (Security Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2022. The Arctic today has changed dramatically since the 1990s. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, during the past decade, the surface area of the Arctic Sea ice has reached its lowest levels since 1850. Not only has climate change caused the Arctic ice to melt at unprecedented rates, but it has also heated geopolitical tensions within the region. Due to its global impact, the preservation of the Arctic has become a critical international governance issue. The Arctic ice melt has led to irreversible natural consequences, and it also has the potential to become a major crisis with ramifications for international security. While the environmental dynamics underway in the region risk undermining the world’s strategy to curb climate change, they have also opened up opportunities for a new phase of exploitation of fossil fuels, yet research into this topic remains limited. Such opposing dynamics (environmental preservation in the interest of the international community vs. exploitation of natural resources for national interests) offer an interesting context to study potential shifts in the chosen states’ policy narratives. In order to achieve that and respond to the knowledge gap, this research quantitatively analyses and compares the key policy documents issued by all relevant states before and after 2015, which is the year when the current climate change commitments were made and the new UN strategies (Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development) were established. Ultimately, the purpose of this study is to identify shifts in policy narratives that trend toward support of either the liberal approach (international collaboration) or the realist alternative (national interest). This research uses the theoretical framework of liberalism and realism to guide a quantitative content analysis of the key policy documents. In turn, the overarching goal of the current study is to determine which of these two theoretical approaches best represents the countries’ discursive position on the Arctic. This may cast additional light on what governance dynamics may prevail in the region in the future. Essentially, this study concludes that liberalism remains the dominant narrative within the Arctic region. However, after 2015, the general trend, in every country’s policy document (except for Iceland) is a decrease in relevance for liberal policies and an increase in realist positions. Political Sciences MA (Security Studies) Unrestricted 2023-02-08T09:33:44Z 2023-02-08T09:33:44Z 2023-04 2022 Mini Dissertation Soncini, C. 2022. Liberal Values or Realist Interests? An Analysis of the Shifting Security Narratives in the Arctic Region. MA Mini-dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria. Viewed yymmdd https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/89334 A2023 https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/89334 10.25403/UPresearchdata.21954014 en © 2022 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle UCTD
National security
Liberalism
Realism
The Arctic
Militarisation
Liberal values or realist interests? an analysis of the shifting security narratives in the Arctic Region
title Liberal values or realist interests? an analysis of the shifting security narratives in the Arctic Region
title_full Liberal values or realist interests? an analysis of the shifting security narratives in the Arctic Region
title_fullStr Liberal values or realist interests? an analysis of the shifting security narratives in the Arctic Region
title_full_unstemmed Liberal values or realist interests? an analysis of the shifting security narratives in the Arctic Region
title_short Liberal values or realist interests? an analysis of the shifting security narratives in the Arctic Region
title_sort liberal values or realist interests an analysis of the shifting security narratives in the arctic region
topic UCTD
National security
Liberalism
Realism
The Arctic
Militarisation
url https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/89334