The Shift in Securitization Discourse on the Arctic in Finnish and Swedish Foreign Policy After 2022

This bachelor’s thesis examines the transformation of the securitization discourse on the Arctic in Finnish and Swedish foreign policy after 2022. For a long time, the Arctic was predominantly framed as a region of international cooperation, stability, and environmental governance. However, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine significantly altered the European security environment and influenced how the Arctic region is interpreted. The aim of the thesis is to clarify how the framing of the Arctic as a security issue has changed in Finnish and Swedish foreign policy discourse after 2022, compared to the period before the invasion of Ukraine (2018–2021). The theoretical framework is based on the Copenhagen School’s securitization theory, complemented by a contextual approach to securitization. Methodologically, the study employs qualitative discourse analysis of official strategic documents and political speeches from both countries. The analysis shows that while the Arctic was primarily portrayed as a space of cooperation and stability before 2022, there has been a significant shift toward its security framing after 2022. The region is increasingly perceived in the context of geopolitical rivalry, military presence, and NATO collective defence. This shift reflects the broader transformation of the European security environment and contributes to the gradual securitization of the Arctic in the discourse of both states.