Making of the Arctic dream–affective resources in the strategies of Arctic coastal states

Abstract

Fossil fuel resources continue to play a significant role in the strategies and policies of Arctic states, despite the accelerating global climate crisis. This is especially the case in the context of the Arctic coastal states of Russia, Norway, Denmark, Canada, and the United States, whose waters are expected to hide a significant share of the world’s remaining oil and gas reserves. In contrast with existing literature on political strategy documents, we approach the Arctic strategies of these five states with an interest in their understudied affective dimension. Relying on conceptually informed thematic content analysis, we demonstrate how resource affects—mainly desire, hope, pride, and denial—are created, circulated and utilized in the establishment of the states’ Arctic resource policies. Furthermore, our analysis draws attention to the central role that affects play in legitimizing ongoing and future hydrocarbon activity in the rapidly warming circumpolar North.