Iceland’s Election: The Centre Cannot Hold?

Over the Circle

In the last few days before Icelanders yet again return to the voting booth on 28 October, the most recent poll by MMR [In Icelandic] suggested that there is still much uncertainty over whether the next governing coalition will stay centre-right in ideology or whether there will be the first leftward shift since Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir… Continue reading Iceland’s Election: The Centre Cannot Hold?

Arctic Circle 2017: Expanded Vistas (and a Bigger Tent)

Over the Circle

This month marked the fifth annual Arctic Circle conference (13-15 October) at the Harpa conference centre in Reykjavík, and as with its previous iterations there was no shortage of topics for discussion and debate from speakers and experts from both within the Arctic regions and from numerous other parts of the world. This year’s event saw… Continue reading Arctic Circle 2017: Expanded Vistas (and a Bigger Tent)

Elsewhere…

Over the Circle

'Far From the Arctic, Venezuela's Last Glacier Melts Away,' (Cryopolitics) 'Slowly but Surely, China is Carving a Foothold through the Arctic,' (South China Morning Post) 'Arctic Council at COP23: Climate Change in the Arctic and its Global Impacts,' (Arctic Council) 'Once-Pristine Arctic Choking on Our Plastic Addiction,' (CBS News) 'Lavrov Attacks Norway, Says Relations on… Continue reading Elsewhere…

New Book: China and Nordic Diplomacy

Over the Circle

Published this week by Routledge: China and Nordic Diplomacy, co-edited by Bjørnar Sverdrup-Thygeson, Wrenn Yennie Lindgren and myself. This book examines the distinct relations between China and the five Nordic states, including in the areas of Arctic engagement. Each of the 'Nordic Five' countries has had different historical experiences with China diplomacy. However, under the… Continue reading New Book: China and Nordic Diplomacy