Title dissertation:
Power and Interests in Norway’s Svalbard Policies
Topic trial lecture:
How interests prevail in a changing world. What Norwegian Svalbard policies can teach us about stability and change in power relations
Time for trial lecture: 10:15 – 11:15
Time for public defence: 12:15 – 15:30
Place: A13 Elias Blix and streaming
Chair of defence: Professor Cecilie Høj Anvik
Assessment committee:
- Professor Gøran Sundqvist, University of Gothenburg
- Research Professor Gisle Andersen, NORCE Norwegian Research Centre
- Associate professor Håkan T. Sandersen, Nord University
Supervisors:
- Main supervisor: Professor Grete Hovelsrud, Nordland Reseacrh Institute and Nord University
- Co-supervisor: Professor Johans T. Sandvin, Nord University
- Co-supervisor: Senior Researcher Andreas Østhagen, Fridtjof Nansen Intitute
The thesis can be available for viewing by contacting Nina Støver, e-mail: nina.stover@nord.no.
Summary of the thesis:
The complex and rapid transition of Svalbard, encompassing changes in climate, economy, demography, and geopolitics, presents the Norwegian government with a multitude of challenges in balancing its political priorities for the Arctic archipelago. With the coal industry on the way out and international sectors and geopolitical tensions rising, a primary challenge for the government is maintaining its presence. However, this is just one of the government’s policy objectives, and the government is just one of many actors involved with Svalbard’s policies. Therefore, this study explores what makes some interests prevail in Norway’s Svalbard policies and how power is played out in these processes.
To address this research question, an interpretive multiple-case study of the political processes of 1) phasing out coal, 2) stricter environmental regulations, and 3) firmer hosting policies for research was conducted. The study was informed by short-term, multi-site fieldwork from August to December 2022, drawing on interviews, informal conversations, policy documents, newspaper articles, and observations. The interview data were analysed using thematic analysis, and various theoretical concepts of power were used to interpret them in relation to the research question. While Lukes’s (2021) three dimensions of power were chosen as a theoretical starting point, the concepts of symbolic capital and frame were included during data analysis. The results are presented in four separate studies.
In conclusion, the study contributes to the growing social science literature on Svalbard by elucidating the interplay between environmental policies and geopolitics. It provides insights into the Norwegian government’s dilemmas and strategies for balancing geopolitical interests against other considerations. While this is relevant to Svalbard policymakers and those affected by their decisions, it can also help explain similar processes in the Arctic and beyond.
