Evolving Polar Security

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

The Arctic and Antarctica have rapidly evolved from multi-national scientific havens to key strategic areas for the United States, as well as its allies and competitors. This course will elucidate the domestic and international security issues in the Arctic and Antarctica that began during 19th century polar exploration, evolved throughout the Cold War, and continue to both persist and dynamically transform within this decade. In the context of this abruptly evolving strategic environment, this course will cover emerging opportunities in energy, agricultural, fishing, shipping, emerging technologies, scientific exploration, 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 foreign policy experts, diplomats, government officials, indigenous leaders, law enforcement officers, military leaders, and managers of multi-national corporations. Students will work to identify, understand, and ultimately solve emergent problems multidisciplinary through coursework and assignments.