Sweden had a very active role in the early scientific exploration of the European Arctic up until WorldWar I and remained an active industrial stakeholder in Spitsbergen until around 1930. From then on Sweden went into a long period of comparatively low activity in the Arctic, but with interesting exceptions. When official Swedish interest was renewed in the 1980s science was foregrounded and other policy areas kept on a low profile. Today Sweden holds the chairmanship of the Arctic Council and presented in May 2011 for the first time an official Arctic policy. How should we interpret Sweden's Arctic politics? Is the low profile likely to change, and if so -- what policy options are open?
Föredrag. Stockholm Arctic Seminar, A seminar series arranged by Assessing Arctic Futures: Voices, Resources and Governance; Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan, Stockholm 17 April 2012.
QC 20130912