02/13/2025
By Renato Mendes Fakhoury
Title of Dissertation: “Peoples, States, and the Arctic: Identity and Narratives in Arctic Security Dynamics”
Date and Time: 3/26/2025, 12:30 -2 p.m.
Place: Coburn Hall, Room 268
Committee:
Jarrod Hayes, UMass Lowell (Chair)
Angélica Duran-Martinez, UMass Lowell
Adam Lerner, UMass Lowell
Brent Steele, University of Utah
Abstract:
The Arctic, historically perceived as a marginal region in international security, has become an arena of evolving geopolitical, environmental, and identity-driven transformations. This dissertation examines how narratives shape Arctic security and identity through three interconnected case studies: (1) the securitization of climate change by Indigenous groups in the Arctic Council, (2) the transformation of non-aligned identity following Finland and Sweden’s accession to NATO, and (3) the role of U.S. Arctic discourse in reflecting broader hegemonic anxieties. The first paper explores the securitization strategies of Indigenous representatives in Arctic Council Ministerial Meetings. While securitization theory traditionally assumes that actors with authority enact exceptional measures, Indigenous groups—lacking institutional power—utilize securitizing language as a discursive tool to highlight existential threats such as climate change and cultural erosion. This paper demonstrates that securitization can function as a “weapon of the weak,” amplifying marginalized voices in international governance. The second paper examines how vicarious identification influenced Finland and Sweden’s decisions to join NATO following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Finland’s identification with Ukraine, based on shared historical experiences of Russian aggression, led to a heightened security-focused national identity, accelerating NATO support. In contrast, Sweden’s identification with Finland, rather than Ukraine directly, reinforced regional solidarity, prompting a reassessment of its long-standing neutrality. Utilizing original survey data and mediation analysis, this study reveals how identity shifts, rather than purely strategic considerations, played a crucial role in these countries’ NATO bids. The third paper investigates the narratives surrounding U.S. Arctic militarization and its implications for hegemonic identity. As the Arctic emerges as a strategic frontier, U.S. discourse reflects anxieties about maintaining global dominance amidst perceived decline. This study contextualizes Arctic militarization within broader U.S.-Russia competition and explores how securitizing narratives reinforce or challenge America’s self-perception as a great power. This dissertation contributes to International Relations by bridging securitization theory, ontological security, and narrative analysis to understand identity formation in the Arctic. It challenges state-centric approaches by incorporating Indigenous perspectives, regional identity shifts, and great power anxieties. The findings highlight how narratives are not only projections of identity but also mechanisms that shape security perceptions and policy decisions. By examining how actors construct, contest, and adapt security narratives, this dissertation provides insights into Arctic governance, global security dynamics, and the evolving role of identity in international politics.