Aerial view of Ny-Ålesund and its main research infrastructurese © Kjetil Sagerup, 2011 ; légende : Mayline Strouk
The presence of non-Arctic and non-European countries in the Arctic has been growing over the past two decades. Given the geographic distance of these countries from the polar region, their presence in the High North may seem surprising. In this article, published in Science and public policy, Mayline Strouk (University of Edinburgh / CWTS) and Marion Maisonobe (CNRS – Géographie-cités) study the presence in Svalbard of scientists from different countries and how they interact through an analysis of the field missions in which they are involved.
Combining network analysis and interviews, the authors highlight the role of the stations located in the archipelago for access to the field and the cooperation strategies of scientists, including those from countries that do not have stations above the Arctic Circle. We tackle issues of integration in this area by empirically discussing three logics: (1) scientific autonomy, (2) core-periphery structure, and (3) regional patterns of cooperation, thus going beyond an approach strictly limited to the analysis of science diplomacy policies.
International network of joint research projects in Svalbard © Strouk & maisonobe
“In this paper, we explore how the narrative of science as a tool for diplomacy in the Arctic effectively enacts (1) autonomous integration strategy, (2) international scientifc projects with Norway at the core, and (3) intra-European cooperation. In particular, for non-Arctic countries, opening a research station is often part of a SD strategy, but it does not necessarily lead to international scientific collaborations, despite being the main narrative of SD. The costs and logistical challenges of Arctic fieldwork create a need to coordinate research and its means, especially for countries that do not own a station on-site as well as for European countries. Funding schemes, especially at the European level, also enact collaborations. Lastly, we do have to consider the field site as a place to meet and exchange. This is rather a specific characteristic of Ny-Ålesund, as the Norwegian management and set-up of the research village are directed towards meeting, coordinating, and presenting research projects, following the principles of conferences—but in the field. Arctic fieldwork is often depicted as a solitary activity or restricted to a single team of people, whereas its costs and living conditions tend to lead to coordination and collaboration.”
Discussion: disentangling the drivers behind international scientifc cooperation logics, p. 11
Mayline Strouk, Marion Maisonobe. Field science and scientific collaboration in the Svalbard Archipelago: beyond science diplomacy. Science and public policy, 2024, 00, pp.1-15 ⟨10.1093/scipol/scae012⟩. ⟨hal-04663019⟩
