ASTK18213U The politics of maritime security in the Arctic

Maritime security is a key and cross-cutting issue in Arctic politics. It is high on the regional political agenda and seen as a key concern for the future development of the Arctic region, since security is a prerequisite for the development of Arctic communities. However, the maritime Arctic territory is characterised by low temperatures, sea ice, long distances, limited infrastructure, sparsely populated areas, scarcity of capabilities for search and rescue, and vulnerabilities related to communities, the environment and human life. To promote societal security, these dangers and risks call for developing capabilities for emergency preparedness and response to avoid or reduce risks in terms of unwanted incidents that threaten human lives, the environment or society at large. The Arctic needs robust security risk management systems, for example in terms of search and rescue (SAR) and oil spill response (OSR) capabilities. The aim of the course is to facilitate an understanding of how safety and security is organized and regulated regionally, nationally and locally in the Arctic in general and as part of the politics within the Danish Realm including the multilevel governance links between Danish governmental authorities and Greenland sub-state authorities. How are sub-state entities represented in relevant regional organizations in the Arctic like the Working Group of the Arctic Council on Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response (EPPR) and the Arctic Coast Guard Forum? The course also serves as a lens to investigate different scales of Arctic politics and their interconnectedness. Theoretically the course will build on recent and ongoing research activities, including developments within critical security studies, societal security and maritime security policy.