NUPI Research Online (Norwegian Institute of International Affairs)
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Considering ecological security from the perspective of Arctic ecosystemic politics
Full text linkThis brief essay is part of a book forum on Matt McDonald's book (2021) presenting the idea of ecological security. In the essay, I reflect on progress and prospects for Arctic cooperation and governance in order to consider the promise and limitations of McDonald’s ecological security framework. The Arctic is an instructive example for such an exploration. The longstanding post-Cold War cooperation in the Arctic is strongly rooted in an appreciation of the interconnected nature of the Arctic ecosystem, even as the governance mechanisms remain far from what would qualify as an ecological security approach in McDonald’s sense. Nonetheless, I suggest that especially two aspects are instructive from the Arctic example. The first relates to how ecological security would potentially interface with an already quite full landscape of governance practices rooted in ecosystems, and associated power political genealogies and effects. The second point is a reflection on unfolding events, seeking to explore how continued inputs from other forms of security governance could impact on emerging or partial attempts to govern with an ecological security perspective. Here, the status of Arctic cooperative governance after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is an illustrative example to consider. Both points can be read as impediments limiting the applicability of the ecological security framework. However, as McDonald argued, impediments are not the same as absolute limits (2021, 192) and potential obstacles are explored here in the spirit of advancing possibilities for ecological security.Considering ecological security from the perspective of Arctic ecosystemic politicspublishedVersio
Global Health Expertise in the Shadow of Hegemony
Full text linkThis work is funded by the European Commission Research and Innovation Action,
Horizon 2020 Framework Program, 2023-2027 –‘NAVIGATOR: The EU Navigating Multilateral Cooperation’ (#101094394).publishedVersio
Disposable rebels: US military assistance to insurgents in the Syrian war
Full text linkDuring the Syrian War, the US and other Western countries trained, equipped and paid Syrian rebels to fight the government and, later, root out the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). When states use armed groups to attain foreign policy objectives, control is a key concern. The US sought to enforce such control over providers and recipients of lethal military assistance in the period from 2013–18. We investigate the parallel CIA and Department of Defence assistance programmes . We challenge theoretical assumptions related to the application of the principal-agent model to explain the dynamics of foreign assistance to rebels. We argue that, in the US strategy to control rebels, co-ordinating the providers and dividing the recipients of security assistance were essential conditions. Meanwhile, the delays in recruitment, the limitations on the number of soldiers trained, the short supply of weapons and the strict regulation of the actions carried out by the rebels all reduced the efficacy of the assistance. This way of instrumentalising security assistance helped the US and its Western allies to crush ISIL while avoiding a collapse in Damascus. However, this happened at the expense of rebel cohesion, autonomy, and legitimacy.Disposable rebels: US military assistance to insurgents in the Syrian warpublishedVersio
UN Peacekeeping at 75: Achievements, Challenges, and Prospects
Full text linkThis year marks the 75th anniversary of what the UN itself understands to be its first peacekeeping operation. It is therefore an appropriate time to reflect on the track record of UN peacekeeping in its efforts to try to maintain and realize peace and security. Moreover, this milestone invites us to ponder what lies ahead in the realm of peacekeeping. For this reason, this forum article brings together both academics and UN officials to assess the achievements and challenges of UN peacekeeping over the past 75 years. Through a dialogue among peacekeeping scholars and practitioners, we hope to identify current trends and developments in UN peacekeeping, as well as explore priorities for the future to improve the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations in terms of achieving their mandate objectives, such as maintaining peace, protecting civilians, promoting human rights, and facilitating reconciliation. This forum article is structured into six thematic sections, each shedding light on various aspects of UN peacekeeping: (1) foundational principles of UN peacekeeping - namely, consent, impartiality, and the (non-)use of force; (2) protection of civilians; (3) the primacy of politics; (4) early warning; (5) cooperation with regional organizations; and (6) the changing geopolitical landscape in which UN peacekeeping operates.UN Peacekeeping at 75: Achievements, Challenges, and ProspectspublishedVersio
The China Policy During Søreide’s Tenure as Foreign Minister (2017–2021): Familiar Tracks and New Conflict Lines
No full textPerioden med Ine Eriksen Søreide som utenriksminister (2017–2021) gir et spennende vindu inn i utviklingen for norsk Kina-politikk. Etter seks år med frys i de politiske relasjonene mellom Norge og Kina, fikk Søreide en stor oppgave med å normalisere forholdet og navigere det inn i en tid preget av skarpere konflikter. I denne artikkelen søker vi svar på to sentrale spørsmål: Hvordan utviklet Kina-politikken seg i disse årene, og hva forklarer dreiningen mot mer sikkerhets- og verdiorienterte trekk i andre del av ministerperioden? Vi kombinerer teorier og forklaringer som vektlegger institusjonell stabilitet, trinnvis politikkendring og strukturell, internasjonal påvirkning.Kina-politikken i Søreides periode som utenriksminister: kjente spor og nye konfliktlinjerThe China Policy During Søreide’s Tenure as Foreign Minister (2017–2021): Familiar Tracks and New Conflict LinespublishedVersio
Transcending the ‘End of War’ Debate: Toward a Mechanism-Centered View on the ‘War on War'
Full text linkHas war become obsolete? Some argue that macro-historical social processes are leading war into obsolescence, while for others that pattern is explained by the fact that war is a lingering potential outcome of international politics. I argue that both answers reveal a fundamental problem with the debate about the ‘end of war’. The focus on securing predictions about the end of war keeps analyses trapped in either a teleological or nomothetical linearity and overshadows the varied set of contingent mechanisms that allow for non-violent outcomes to prevail in contentious political episodes. The ‘War on War’ could benefit from analyses that asses shifting configurations of mechanisms in power politics.Transcending the ‘End of War’ Debate: Toward a Mechanism-Centered View on the ‘War on War'publishedVersio
Transferring Policy: The African Union’s Protection of Civilians Policy in Peacekeeping Missions in Somalia and South Sudan
Full text linkThe African Union’s (AU’s) doctrine underlying Peace Support Operations (PSOs) highlights the fact that the AU should take the lead in providing political direction for all AU PSOs. This includes mainstreaming the standards and operating procedures applicable to the Protection of Civilians (PoC). The PoC guidelines mandate the AU to support and complement the efforts of the host state by enhancing its capacity to secure civilians and prevent abuse against them. The guidelines have allowed the AU to develop and grow its institutional capacity and emerge as the continent’s leading institution. It provides fragile member states with technical support through African led and AU-mandated missions (crafting the concept of operations, training and implementation and procedures for peace operations). However, little is known about how the AU transfers its PoC policy to member states during peacekeeping missions. This paper assesses the institutional capacity of the AU and its ability to influence specific national PoC policies and approaches through AU PSO and United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (UN PKOs). The paper highlights that although the AU has made progress in PoC policy, it has not been implemented effectively and practically in South Sudan and Somalia, despite being a significant priority for the organisation.Transferring Policy: The African Union’s Protection of Civilians Policy in Peacekeeping Missions in Somalia and South SudanpublishedVersio
Food security in the context of the war in Ukraine
Full text linkThe research for this policy paper was financially supported by the EEA and Norway Grants
2014–2021 framework (under the Fund for Bilateral Relations). Project name: “Czech and
Norwegian Perspectives on New Security Threats in Relation to the Russian War on Ukraine”,
project number: EHP-BFNU-OVNKM-4-194-01-2022.publishedVersio
African-Led Peace Support Operations in a declining period of new UN Peacekeeping Operations
Full text linkpublishedVersio
Introduction to Climate Change in Central Asia
Full text linkThe Central Asian region has been and will continue to be significantly impacted by climate change and all the region’s countries have pledged nation- ally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris agreement. This chapter aims to assess how likely Central Asian countries are to fulfil these pledges. To answer this question, we compare the NDCs to their respective national development programmes and historical trends. The results show that the countries of Central Asia vary in their ability to fulfil their pledges and that doing so will require structural changes to their energy systems, substantial investments in infrastructure and, most importantly, the alignment of their development plans with their declared climate goals. None of the countries have thus far engaged in structural reforms aimed at large-scale climate change adaptation and mitigation.Introduction to Climate Change in Central AsiapublishedVersio