Geopolitics, Security and Governance

The chapter explores the intersection between geopolitics, security, and governance. All three terms are contested in terms of content and scope, and are imagined and operationalized in varied Arctic contexts. The Arctic as a region is dominated by the eight Arctic states and their own particular security agendas, which shape governance at a variety of spatial and social scales. Arctic governance is not the exclusive preserve of Arctic states, as an array of actors, practices, and interests make their presence felt, ranging from Indigenous people’s organizations and extraterritorial players to material practices such as science and resource mapping. Finally, the chapter stresses the significance of geographical imaginaries and meta-geographies of the Arctic