Security and Governance in the Globalized Arctic:
Nordic and International Perspectives
Interdisciplinary conference
Aarhus University 12 – 13 November 2015
The purpose of the conference is to provide a forum for policy-makers and academics to deliberate on how
the security, resilience and sustainability of the globalized Arctic region and its peoples may be enhanced,
and what instruments of governance may most suitably contribute. The conference will spell out (1) how the
different relevant dimensions of security (military, economic, environmental, energy and human security)
manifest themselves in the governing / governance arrangements in the Arctic; (2) how the challenges
associated with each manifest themselves, individually and together; and (3) what forms of governing
arrangements can best help to address the challenges. The conference will also focus on (4) how the Nordic
countries and nations, including Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Aaland Islands, may contribute to the
peace, stability and prosperity of the Arctic region through collaborative efforts based on their shared social,
human, environmental and democratic values.
Invited plenary speakers and debaters: Danish Minister of Defence, Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Danish Arctic Ambassador Erik Vilstrup Lorentzen, Russian Arctic Ambassador Vladimir Barbin, Prof.
Michael Byers (University of British Columbia), Prof. John Mearsheimer (University of Chicago), Prof. Rob
Huebert (University of Calgary), Prof. Alexander Sergunin (University of St. Petersburg), Prof. Lassi
Heininen (University of Lapland), Prof. Kirstine Offerdal (Norwegian College of Defence Studies), Prof.
Minik Rosing (Copenhagen University), Prof. Stephane Roussel (École nationale d’administration publique,
Montreal), Prof. Steven Miller (Harvard University), Prof. Anders Mosbech (Aarhus University), Prof. Ellen
Margrethe Basse, Prof. Søren Rysgaard (Aarhus University/Manitoba), Prof. Rane Willerslev (Aarhus
University), Assistant Prof. Cécile Pelaudeix (Aarhus University), Prof. Rasmus Gjedssø Bertelsen
(University of Tromsø), Prof. Gunhild Hoogensen Gjørv (University of Tromsø), former foreign minister
Uffe-Ellemann-Jensen, former foreign minister Holger K. Nielsen, former foreign minister Per Stig Møller,
member of the Nordic Council Presidium Bertel Haarder, Nils Wang (Royal Danish Defence College),
Senior Researcher Hans Mouritzen (DIIS), Security Politics Commentator Tage Baumann (DR), Foreign
Editor Anna Libak (Berlinske Tidende), member of the Greenland Parliament (IA) Sara Olsvig, Assistant
Prof. Jon Rahbek Clemmensen (University of Southern Denmark), MF former minister Søren Pind (V), John
Erik Fossum, University of Oslo.
Panels and workshops:
1. Arctic Security Dynamics – Interstate Competition, Resources, and the Impact of the Ukraine Crisis.
2. State transformation and multilevel governance in the Arctic.
3. The Global Arctic: Climate Change and the Rise of Asia.
4. Sovereignty and the rights of indigenous peoples.
5. Human Security.
6. Nordic cooperation in, and for, the Arctic.
7. Energy security and environment governance.
8. Institutionalism in the Arctic and Arctic actors’ strategies.
9. Fragility and resilience of Arctic Ecosystems, myths and reality, implications for Ecosystem-based
Management.
10. International cooperation: Search, rescue and surveillance in Arctic waters (preliminary title).
11. Arctic Science Diplomacy.
12. Panel/workshop:. A debate on the forthcoming Arctic report (due October 2015) of the Danish
Ministry of Defence.
Proposals and abstracts must be submitted by August 15 2015. Proposals should be sent directly to the
organizer of the relevant workshop or panel (see website for descriptions and contact details). Length of
submissions may not exceed 300 words and must include submitter's contact details. – If you can’t identify
your paper with any of the planned workshops, please send the proposal to Michael Böss
([email protected]).
Conference fee (incl. meals and banquet): DKK 750 (early bird) /DKK 875 (late bird).
Information on venue, contact, programme, accommodation and registration: www.matchpoints.au.dk
Contact on programme: Michael Böss – [email protected]
Hosts, organizers and institutional partners: The conference is part of the official programme of the
Danish government on occasion of the Danish chairmanship of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2015. The
conference is hosted by Aarhus University and the City of Aarhus and organized by a number of Nordic
universities, research academies and is part of the GlobalArctic Project of the Northern Research Forum.
Among its institutional partners are also the Danish ministries of foreign affairs, defence and research, the
Danish parliament and the Nordic Council of Ministers.