Theoretical and methodological approaches to studying the arctic as a space of geopolitical rivalry

Abstract

The Arctic is increasingly emerging as a space of intense geopolitical interaction, accompanied by growing interest from major powers and transnational actors. While for much of history the region was perceived as a peripheral, inaccessible, and marginalized zone, in the 21st century, it is increasingly defined as a strategic space where interests in security, natural resources, transportation, ecology, and international symbolic prestige intersect. Climate warming and melting glaciers have facilitated the opening of new shipping routes, enabled access to previously inaccessible energy resources, and intensified competition for political control over specific Arctic zones. The Arctic is becoming an arena where the configuration of global and regional forces is not only reflected but also actively shaped. In this context, there is a growing scientific need to develop a conceptual and methodological framework for adequately analyzing the dynamics of Arctic rivalry. Existing studies demonstrate fragmentation and theoretical dispersion, which complicates the formation of a coherent scientific approach. Therefore, the aim of this article is to systematize key theoretical-methodological approaches to analyzing the Arctic as a space of geopolitical rivalry and to assess their heuristic capacity in the context of the contemporary transformation of the international security architecture. The study is based on an inter-paradigmatic approach that combines insights from classical geopolitics, neorealism, geoeconomics, and critical geopolitics. Each of these paradigms offers its own explanatory logic, specific tools, and focuses on different actors, motivations, and levels of analysis. For instance, classical geopolitics emphasizes spatial control, neorealism focuses on the balance of power and conflict potential, geoeconomics highlights competitive access to resources and logistics, and critical geopolitics examines discursive representations and ideological narratives. The article explores how these approaches interpret the political nature of the Arctic space, define the types of actors and the logic of their behavior, and enable the description of multilevel manifestations of rivalry in the region—from direct territorial claims to symbolic struggles for the right to set the agenda. Particular attention is paid to methodological challenges arising in the analysis of Arctic issues: the hybrid nature of the region’s spatial structure, the legal ambiguity of jurisdictions, limited access to strategic information, the degradation of multilateral cooperation institutions, and the specificity of the discursive construction of the Arctic as a “unique” geopolitical space with a mythologized status as a “global reserve” or “frontier of the future.” The study ultimately formulates an analytical framework that accounts for the interdisciplinary nature of the Arctic dimension, its dynamism, polycentric structure, and growing role in shaping the new global order.