Arctic Sec. in 21st Century

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

During the last decade, the Arctic has been transformed from a scientific backwater to a key strategic area for the United States. This course will elucidate the domestic and international security issues in the Arctic, starting with the Cold War, as part of the global recognition of extensive Arctic resources and challenges due to rapid climate change. In the context of this abruptly evolving strategic environment, the course will cover emerging opportunities in energy, shipping, and mineral extraction as well as challenges such as maintaining effective domain awareness, border security, human displacement, food security, drug trafficking, and national sovereignty claims between allies and competitors of the United States. The course material will be covered from a variety of perspectives including high-level diplomats, government officials, indigenous leaders, law enforcement officers, military leaders, and managers of multi-national corporations. Students will work to solve emergent problems through coursework and a capstone project that will require innovative, multi-disciplinary thinking. The course will have a strong emphasis on international diplomacy and negotiating strategies as most of the future activities in the Arctic will take place in countries like Canada and Russia that share the Arctic Coastline with the United States as well as with non-Artic nations like China that are looking to take advantage of emerging opportunities.