Edda Rannsóknasetur

Iceland’s Arctic Policies and Shifting Geopolitics: Embellished Promise has been published by Palgrave Macmillian. The book is written by EDDA researcher Valur Ingimundarson.

The Arctic has gained increasing importance in international discussions due to climate change, resource exploitation, ideas about new shipping routes emerging from the melting ice at the North Pole, and environmental threats.

In this book, Prof. Valur Ingimundarson, an expert in international and contemporary history who has also focused on international relations and security issues, examines the role of the Arctic in Iceland’s foreign and security policies from the end of the Cold War to the present. Based on extensive research and drawing on approaches from the fields of history and international relations, it shows that Iceland’s Arctic policies have gone through multiple phases during this period, all of which have been heavily influenced by external geopolitical factors, including its relationship with the United States, the 2008 financial crisis, the rise of China, and the Ukrainian crisis. It also demonstrates how Iceland’s strategic position in the North Atlantic has significant repercussions for the United States, Russia and China.

With an emphasis on geopolitics, nation branding, and governance, this book will appeal to scholars and students of Arctic policies, geopolitics and international relations.

Further information about the book can be found here:

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-40761-1

The 2024 ReNEW Conference on the state of the Nordics and their place in the world came to an end today. In twenty panels, Nordic political, social, cultural, and economic developments have been placed in wide-ranging national, comparative and transnational contexts.

At the conference it was stressed that the Nordic countries have been deeply affected by new geopolitical, cultural, and migratory patterns, which have shaped and, in some cases, redefined, domestic political spaces, civil society, gender relations, and minority rights.

The return to a Cold War-style polarization—epitomized by the Ukraine War—has also had a deep impact on the external relations of Nordic states, Nordic cooperation as well as Nordic participation in international and regional institutions.

At the conference Nordic exceptionalism—whether in the form of gender equality utopias, social well-being, or cultural tolerance—was deconstructed and scrutinized in a critical fashion. In addition, there were interventions on societal challenges, such as democratic engagement and legal rights; public trust in democratic institutions; gendered workplace relations; and public attitudes toward the social reforms and military spending. And ideas about the North as a geographic space—filled with political, environmental, cultural, and social content—were explored, not least within the context of Arctic developments. Thus, together with the keynote lectures on colonialism and on Russia and the West a broad range of topics were covered with many interlinking threads and connections.

7th Nordic Challenges Conference: Uncertain Futures: Nordic (In-)Securities, New Geopolitics and Societal Ruptures, was opened in Reykjavík on 22 May. Interesting panels as well as important discussions and still one day left of the conference.

The ReNEW Early Career Paper Prize Competition was held for the fourth time this year, and we had outstanding early career papers on research about the Nordic region.

This year's winners have been announced and they are Sóllilja Bjarnadóttir, University of Iceland, who won the social science prize for her paper, Political Trust Is Not Enough: Trust in Institutions Beyond the State and Public Support for Energy Transition Policies and Tuire Liimatainen, Migration Institute of Finland won the prize in humanities for her paper, Nation Within and Beyond: Constructing Diaspora and Nation in the Finnish Diaspora Policy.

Congratulations Tuire and Sóllilja!

The EDDA Research Center at the University of Iceland hosts the 7th Nordic Challenges Conference titled Uncertain Futures: Nordic (In-)Securities, New Geopolitics, and Societal Ruptures. The conference takes place on 22–24 May 2024 in Veröld and Háskólatorg at the University of Iceland.

This is the 7th Nordic Challenges Conference, part of the ReNEW (Reimagining Norden in an Evolving World) Nordic research network. Funded by NordForsk, ReNEW brings together six Nordic universities in one research hub. It will focus on several key themes shaping contemporary Nordic politics, societies, and cultures and their significance within a larger global context.

Speakers include Sergei Medvedev from the Charles University in Prague and Julia Suárez-Krabbe from the University of Roskilde.

The Conference programme is available on EDDA's website:

- EDDA Conference Programme Venues: Veröld (V) and Háskólatorg (HT) Day 1: Wednesday 22 May Venue: Veröld (V) Opening Ceremony & Keynote Lecture Parallel Sessions 1: 15:30–17:00 Day 2: Thursday 23 May Venues: Háskólatorg (HT)/Veröld (V) Registration 9–17.00 V-103 Parallel Sessions 2: 9.00–10:3...

We invite all emerging scholars to participate in the fourth Emerging Scholars’ Day held at the University of Iceland on 21 May, the day before the 7th Nordic Challenge conference in Reykjavík.

Further information here: https://edda.hi.is/renew2024-emerging-scholars-day/

Please also consider submitting your paper to compete for the Early Career Paper Prize of 1300 EUR.

Further information here: https://edda.hi.is/renew2024-early-career-paper-prize/

Skráning á 7th Nordic Challenges conference: Uncertain Futures: Nordic (In-)Securities, New Geopolitics and Societal Ruptures er nú opin á heimasíðu EDDU, https://edda.hi.is/renew2024/

Hlökkum til að sjá ykkur í maí!

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Registration for the 7th Nordic Challenges Conference: Uncertain Futures: Nordic (In-)Securities, New Geopolitics and Societal Ruptures has opened, see website: https://edda.hi.is/renew2024/

We look forward to seeing you in May!

The 7th Nordic Challenges Conference: Uncertain Futures: Nordic (In-)Securities, New Geopolitics and Societal Ruptures, University of Iceland, Reykjavik 22–24 May 2024 - EDDA The Call The 7th Nordic Challenges conference is accepting proposals for papers, panels, roundtables, and book panels (see guidelines below) related to one of these conference themes: Political Identities and Loyalties: What (has) happened to the Nordic model? Liberal democracy: assessing the damage...

The webpage for the 7th Nordic Challenge conference has been updated!

Emerging scholars may now apply for Emerging Scholars' Day, and compete for the Early Career Prize.

We are working on the program but are still accepting submissions for panel and paper proposals. See further information on our website.

CALL FOR PAPERS, PANELS AND ROUNDTABLES: NORDIC CHALLENGES CONFERENCE - EDDA Emerging Scholars' Day Early Career Prize Practical Info The 7th Nordic Challenges Conference: Uncertain Futures: Nordic (In-)Securities, New Geopolitics and Societal Ruptures, University of Iceland, Reykjavik 22–24 May 2024 The Call The 7th Nordic Challenges conference is accepting proposals for ...

Við erum byrjuð að vinna úr innsendu efni vegna sjöundu Nordic Challenge ráðstefnunnar sem haldin verður í Háskóla Íslands í maí og hlökkum til að deila spennandi dagskrá í byrjun mars.

Það er enn hægt að senda inn tillögur að erindum og pallborðum!

Frekari upplýsingar á heimasíðu ráðstefnunnar:

https://edda.hi.is/renew2024/

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We are processing the submissions received for the 7th Nordic Challenge Conference that will be held in Reykjavík in May and look forward to sharing the program in early March.

You can still submit a proposal for papers, panels and roundtables!

Further information on our website:

https://edda.hi.is/renew2024/

CALL FOR PAPERS, PANELS AND ROUNDTABLES: NORDIC CHALLENGES CONFERENCE - EDDA Practical Info The 7th Nordic Challenges Conference: Uncertain Futures: Nordic (In-)Securities, New Geopolitics and Societal Ruptures, University of Iceland, Reykjavik 22–24 May 2024 The Call The 7th Nordic Challenges conference is accepting proposals for papers, panels, roundtables, and book pane...

Enn er tekið á móti tillögum að erindum og pallborðum! Allar upplýsingar má finna hér: https://edda.hi.is/renew2024/

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We are still accepting proposals for panels and papers! Further information on our site: https://edda.hi.is/renew2024/

CALL FOR PAPERS, PANELS AND ROUNDTABLES: NORDIC CHALLENGES CONFERENCE - EDDA Practical Info The 7th Nordic Challenges Conference: Uncertain Futures: Nordic (In-)Securities, New Geopolitics and Societal Ruptures, University of Iceland, Reykjavik 22–24 May 2024 The Call The 7th Nordic Challenges conference is accepting proposals for papers, panels, roundtables, and book pane...

Call for papers: The 7th Nordic Challenges Conference | Reimagining Norden in an Evolving World | University of Helsinki The 7th Nordic Challenges Conference “Uncertain Futures: Nordic (In-)Securities, New Geopolitics and Societal Ruptures“ invites paper proposals, deadline is 1 February, 2024.