National Interests and Security Policies in the Arctic Region Among Arctic States

The United States, Canada, Russia, and Norway are all Arctic states; however, they prioritize the region to different degrees in terms of investments of security assets and military presence. What explains why some Arctic countries prioritize the Arctic more than others? This thesis explores this question through using an issue-based approach, which looks at the salience of issues as having implications for foreign policy tools and measures. This thesis finds that having interests and stakes in the region of high overall salience contribute to an explanation of why some countries prioritize the region more, while low overall salience is linked to less prioritization of the region. By having assessed how national interests in the region drives security policies towards the Arctic, this thesis also provides an understanding of why the U.S. is not prioritizing the Arctic in a time when others are increasingly directing their attention to the region