Feedback Session

Security

 
 

The gender and security chapter is divided into three sections: “What is security?”, “Climate change and security,” and “Gender and security in context.”

The first section addresses the rationale of understanding gender issues in relation to the concept of security, and how this concept can be both controversial but also useful as a lens for understanding the relationships between communities, their governments, and global linkages. The first section will include the ways in which security has been understood in theory (as a lens to understand what is happening around us) as well as in policy (as a justification for prioritizing certain practices over others). Weight will be placed on human security and gender and security (and intersectional) analyses. This first section therefore attempts to provide a framework that can be used over time.

The second section is about one of the most pressing security issues of our time – climate change, and how these changes impact people and societies differently according to gender and other identity markers that play an important role in determining the power different people have (or not) in addressing climate change.

The third section provides current glimpses into gender and intersectional understandings of in/securities in the Arctic, at the moment focusing on Russia and Canada.

We look forward to discussions about the ways in which a security framework can be used to highlight important priorities and values of different Arctic communities, as well as learn from (and invite) additional inputs into the diversity of Arctic contexts that need to be illuminated in this chapter.

Opening remarks

  • Hjalti Ómar Ágústsson, Project Manager, Gender Equality in the Arctic Phase III, Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network

Session Chair

  • Embla Eir Oddsdóttir, Director, Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network, GEA III Project lead

Key presentation

  • Gunhild Hoogensen Gjørv, Professor in Critical Peace and Conflict Studies, UiT The Arctic University of Norway

Speakers

  • Sarah Seabrook Kendall, Master’s student in the Environment and Natural Resources program at the University of Iceland
  • Tonje Johansen, Political Scientist, Saami Council
  • Vladislava Vladimirova, Uppsala University, Sweden

Closing remarks

  • Hjalti Ómar Ágústsson, Project Manager, Gender Equality in the Arctic Phase III, Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network

Questions for participants to consider

  • We have decided that climate change is one of the profound game changers with regard to security and insecurity in the Arctic – do you agree, or do you think there are other elements that will have a greater impact?
  • What do you find beneficial and/or problematic with using the concept of security to better understand gendered (and other, intersectional, identity markers) experiences in the Arctic?
  • What particular issue areas do you think are relevant to highlight in the “Security” chapter?

helpful materials

We found these materials helpful for the discussion

  • Gunhild Hoogensen Gjørv. Finding Gender in the Arctic: A Call to Intersectionality and Diverse Methods : visit website
  • The GEA Report 2015. Gender Equality in the Arctic Report. Current Realities, Future Challenges : download PDF
  • Routledge Handbook of Arctic Security. Gender and intersectional approaches to security in the Arctic : visit website