United States: Making Arctic Nation

The paper examines the evolution of US Arctic policy, noting a transition from a 'reluctant' actor to an active proponent of regional cooperation. Using frame analysis, it identifies a recurring focus on economic development and national competitiveness, while observing a shift in security perspectives from military-centric nation-building toward energy supply and climate change implications.

• The United States transitioned from being a 'reluctant Arctic actor' to an active proponent of cooperation, particularly during its 2015–2017 chairmanship of the Arctic Council, where it used the region to demonstrate strong global climate policy.
• Analysis of policy discourses reveals that while economic development and national competitiveness remain prominent recurring frames, the security perspective has evolved from a focus on military security and nation-building to include energy supply and the effects of climate change.
• There has been a distinct shift over time toward embracing Arctic regional cooperation, though the document notes that varying positions on climate change have historically influenced and may continue to influence this cooperation.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2018). United States: Making Arctic Nation. https://www.sei.org/publications/united-states-making-arctic-nation/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. United States: Making Arctic Nation. 2018. https://www.sei.org/publications/united-states-making-arctic-nation/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=United States: Making Arctic Nation |date=23 May 2018 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/united-states-making-arctic-nation/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2018united, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{United States: Making Arctic Nation}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2018}, month = may, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/united-states-making-arctic-nation/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }