Iceland’s Arctic Policies and Shifting Geopolitics

This book examines the role of the Arctic in Iceland’s foreign and security policies from the end of the Cold War to the present. Based on extensive research and drawing on approaches from the fields of history and international relations, it shows that Iceland’s Arctic policies have gone through multiple phases during this period, all of which have been heavily influenced by external geopolitical factors including its relationship with the United States, the 2008 financial crisis, the rise of China, and the Ukrainian crisis. It also demonstrates how Iceland’s strategic position in the North Atlantic has important repercussions for the United States, Russia and China. With an emphasis on geopolitics, nation branding, and governance, this book will appeal to scholars and students of Arctic policies, geopolitics and international relations.

Valur Ingimundarson is Professor of Contemporary History at the University of Iceland, and Chair of the EDDA Research Center. He has published extensively on topics in international history and contemporary politics, including U.S.-European relations during and after the Cold War, Arctic geopolitics and governance, and Icelandic foreign and security policies.