The Arctic as a regional security complex

Abstract

ABSTRACT Ongoing research on international relations in the Arctic allows for the assumption that since the Arctic is treated as a separate region in geographical terms, it can also be seen as a particular sub-system of international relations. The region comprises eight states that act to ensure a secure existence by pursuing their own goals and interests in the international arena. This creates a security relationship. The Regional Security Complexes (RSC) theory is a research framework to analyze the region’s security. It clarifies international relations at the regional level, provides a picture of the security environment in the region, and enables one to see the directions of change towards securitized phenomena that change the face of the complex. This article aims to analyze the Arctic from the perspective of the RSC theory and determine whether the region can be treated as a separately functioning system of international relations with its own security dynamics related to the specific challenges caused by climate change.