Securing the Arctic : An analysis of Sweden's construction of security in the Arctic (2020-2023)

Sammanfattning: This thesis examines how the Arctic region is portrayed and constructed as a security matter within Swedish state discourses from 2020 to 2023. Focused on the escalating geopolitical significance and the transformative impact of climate change in the Arctic, the thesis scrutinizes Sweden's portrayal of security in the region. The research aims to gain a deeper understanding of how the Arctic region is constructed in Swedish discourses and the possible implications of this.  This thesis employs securitization theory, which is useful for understanding who securitizes, on what issues, for what reasons, and with what results, as well as under what conditions. The findings show that securitizing moves are more prevalent in the traditional security sector, but that environmental security is also gaining prominence. Through critical discourse analysis and securitization theory, the thesis unveils different representations and discourses used by various actors, as well as cross-references between the environmental and traditional security sector.