The polar regions in the system of world politics: social differentiation and securitization

This article analyzes the discussions on contemporary polar, and particularly Arctic, geopolitics set in the context of a larger geopolitical imagery. The main argument is that the role of polar geopolitical discourse, the discursive hype particularly in relation to the Arctic, as well as the highly symbol-laden politics surrounding both polar regions can only be understood if the specific function of a geopolitical imagery relating to the polar regions in the contemporary system of world politics is understood: bringing in a decidedly sociological perspective and utilizing the theory of social differentiation, the polar regions, and particularly the Arctic, are seen as providing an opportunity for the ordering principle of “segmentation” between sovereign territorial states to reassert itself particularly against the ordering principle of functional differentiation into globally or regionally specific regimes. This, combined with a reanimation of past semantics of exploration, frontier, and discovery traditionally associated with polar exploration, explains both the grave disjuncture between discursive hype on the one hand and political and economic developments in the polar regions on the other hand, as well as attempts to securitize the polar regions.