Security Panel's breakout sessions at the 2nd Arctic Circle

Security Panel at the 2nd Arctic Circle

 Thematic Network on Geopolitics and Security’s Panel on Security of the Arctic

At the 2nd Arctic Circle

In Reykjavik, Iceland in October 31 – November 2, 2014

 

Program of the Breakout Sessions

Final draft (October 2014) / Heininen

 

The Thematic Network on Geopolitics and Security - a joint network by the University of the Arctic and the Northern Research Forum - will again organize an international academic panel on “Security of the Arctic”, in cooperation with the Northern Research Forum, in October 31 – November 2, 2014 in Reykjavik, Iceland as a part of the 2nd Arctic Circle.

 

The panel will consist of four breakout sessions with different titles, sub-themes and focus (see below). Each session will include 5-10 speakers (the 4th session on Sunday evening with more time has ten speakers), who are experts on security studies and / or Arctic issues (see below titles of the presentations and names of the speakers), a moderator and an open discussion (questions & comments). The panel is designed and led by Prof. Lassi Heininen from University of Lapland, Finland.

 

 

The 1st Day, October 31, 2014 at 17:00-18:30

Breakout session 1 - Arctic Security

 

Theme: The Nexus of the Environment, Resource Extraction, Global Economy, State Sovereignty, and Global Governance – an Arctic (Security) Paradox

 

The theme includes among others the following sub-themes / points of view: Global (security) problems and challenges in the Arctic: climate change and the ‘Anthropocene’, the mass-scale utilization of resources, the interplay between human security, resource geopolitics, regional development, and human rights; Global security interests within, and dealing with, the Arctic by local, regional and external actors, and sovereignty over the region.

 

Among the proposed titles of presentations and names of potential speakers are:

  • Matthias Finger, EPFL, Switzerland: “Too scary to be true, or the denial, of the GlobalArctic”
  • Audur H. Ingolfsdottir, Bifröst University, Iceland:"Climate change and offshore oil and gas drilling in the Arctic: Tension between environmental and economic security"
  •  Gunhild Hoogensen Gjørv, UiT The Arctic University of Norway: Do values and politics trump science? The dynamics between energy, environment and economy security in the Arctic”
  •  Heather N. Nicol, Trent University, Department of Geography: “Neoliberal discourses and their influence on economic development, state sovereignty and bordering in the Canadian Arctic”
  •  Steven Lamy and Reid Lidow, University of Southern California, USA:  “Governing the Arctic region: Evaluating the ASEAN analogue, and lessons from other regional treaties”

 

Open discussion (questions & comments)

 

The 2nd Day, November 1, 2014 at 16:30-18:00

Breakout session 2 - Arctic Security

 Theme: Military Strategies and Defense Policies in, and Impacts of Recent Crises on, Security of the Arctic

 The theme includes among others the following sub-themes / points of view: Military perspective on the Arctic region, and military strategies and defense policies of the Arctic states; National peculiarities of security premises, paradigms and rhetoric in the Arctic, as well as the Northern Atlantic (e.g. Iceland’s security and defense policy in the 21st century; priorities of Russia’s and US’s new military strategies);       Impacts of current regional crises and wars (e.g. the Ukrainian crisis, the fight against international terror / ISIS) on security of the globalized Arctic.

 

Among the proposed titles of presentations and names of potential speakers are:

 

  • Stéphane Roussel, ENAP and Frédéric Lasserre, Université Laval, Quebec, Canada:

“Russian Flights and the Canadian Arctic: media reports, military statements, and meanings for Canadian sovereignty and security"

  •  Barbora Padrtova, Centre for European and North Atlantic Affairs, Slovak Republic: “Russian military build-up and aggressive rhetoric – how it influences the cooperation in the Arctic”
  •  Alexander Sergunin, St. Petersburg State University, Russia:“Russia’s Military Strategies in the Arctic: looking for new priorities?”
  •  Valery Konyshev, St. Petersburg State University, Russia: “The U.S. Military Strategies in the High North: in search of a new ‘identity’?”
  •  Michael T. Corgan, University of Boston, USA: “Will the US discover the Arctic once again?”

 

Open discussion (questions & comments)

 

The 2nd Day, November 1, 2014 at 18:10-19:40

Breakout session 3 - Arctic Security

 

Theme: Future Security of the Arctic – Environmental / Human Security, Energy Security, Maritime Safety, and International Treaties

 The theme includes among others the following sub-themes / points of view: The future and safety of Arctic shipping; Energy securities; Role of international maritime law, regional regimes and political responses and measures for stewardship of the Arctic Ocean (e.g. UNCLOS, the SAR Agreement, Agreement on Cooperation on Marine Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response, the ‘Polar Code’, Ecosystem-based management Plan etc...).

 Among the proposed titles of presentations and names of potential speakers are:

  •  Suzanne Lalonde, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada: “Role of International Law in fostering environmental security in Arctic waters”
  •  Malte Humpert, the Arctic Institute, USA: “The Future of Arctic shipping: a new Silk Road for China?”
  •  Jussi Huotari and Hanna Lempinen, University of Lapland, Finland: “Energy Securities – perspectives from and to the Arctic energyscape”
  •  Bertel Heurlin, University of Copenhagen, Denmark: “Comparing and explaining the role of the United States and China in the territorially disputed sub-regions of the South China Sea and the Arctic”
  •  ZHANG Pei, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, China: “The Evolving concept of security, and security in the Arctic”

 Open discussion (questions & comments)

 

 The 3rd Day, November 2, 2014 at 16:30-19:30

Breakout session 4 - Arctic Security

 

Theme: Future Security of the Arctic II – Local and Regional Security, (State) Sovereignty, National and regional Security, and New Security Actors

 The theme includes among others the following sub-themes / points of view: Security for whom, and by whom – defining subjects of security; Local, regional and global security; Security from the point of view of Indigenous peoples; ‘Paradiplomacy’; (Re)defining a state of comprehensive security, and shifts in security premises and paradigm, of the globalized Arctic.

 

Among the proposed titles of presentations and names of potential speakers are:

  •  Justin Massie, UQAM and Joel Plouffe, ENAP, Quebec, Canada: “Diplomatic Spillover? Assessing the impact of the Ukrainian crisis on Canada-Russian relations”
  •  Jessica Shadian, AIAS-Marie Curie COFUND Fellow, Århus University, Canada: “Mukloks on the ground: Community-based monitoring and regional Arctic governance – shall the twain ever meet?”
  •  Gleb Yarovoy, Petrozavodsk State University, Russia: "Bottom-up security. Paradiplomacy as the last chance for keeping in touch in the (European) Arctic“,
  •  Maria Ackrén, Ilisimatusarfik/University of Greenland:Hearing processes in Greenland regarding the mining industry
  •  Heather Exner-Pirot, University of Saskatchewan, Canada: “Linking the ‘Local’ with the ‘Global’: Disconnects in Arctic policymaking”

 Open discussion (questions & comments)

 Break

  •  Rasmus Gjedssø Bertelsen, Aalborg University, Denmark: Asia, new stakeholders in North Atlantic security?”
  •  SU Ping, Tongji University, China:  “China and Arctic security”
  •  Gustav Petursson, University of Lapland, Iceland: “Icelandic security and defence policy in the 21st century: Towards a Nordic security community
  •  Michal Luszczuk, Jan Kochanowski University, Poland: “A Threat or an opportunity? Exploring the European and Canadian attitudes towards the globalized Arctic”
  •  Lassi Heininen, University of Lapland, Finland: “The Global Arctic as a potential ground for a paradigm shift of Arctic security”

 Open discussion (questions & comments)