Arktis - det nya slagfältet : En kvalitativ studie över Sveriges och USA:s säkerhetsstrategi för den arktiska regionen

• Main Authors: Röjerås, Ida, Trogen, Sara
• Format: Bachelor Thesis
• Language: Swedish
• Published: Mälardalens universitet, Akademin för ekonomi, samhälle och teknik 2022
• Subjects: Sweden; The United States; Arctic; Security strategies; Political Science; Statsvetenskap; Arktis; Arktis*; Climate change
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mdh:diva-58870

As temperatures in the Arctic continue to rise, so do the tensions between the Arctic states as Russia and China belligerently stake their claims in the Arctic region. Before the crippling effects of climate change, the Arctic was a region that was hard to gain access to due to the colossal glaciers that provided a natural barrier that kept countries at bay. The Arctic harbors massive amounts of natural resources that many countries have exhibited an interest in. The premise of this research paper is to compare the United States and Sweden’s security strategies regarding the Arctic region. What goals, assets, methods and environmental factors does each country have. The United States has a long standing status as a great power, this paper seeks to find out whether being a great power or not plays a significant role in the outcome of a security strategy. Using Westberg’s security strategy theory, Realism and small state theory this paper will compare and delve into the differences between the United States and Sweden’s strategies in the Arctic. The overall conclusion was that being a great power or small power impacted the security strategy to a great extent. Sweden’s strategy emphasized preventive measures and highlighted the importance of cooperation; meanwhile the American strategy took on a greater responsibility as the only great power able to balance out Russia’s military operation and placed more emphasis on their military strategy.