A Conceptual Framework of Arctic Economies for Policy‐making, Research, and Practice
| Date | 01 November 2019 |
| Published date | 01 November 2019 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.12720 |
A Conceptual Framework of Arctic Economies
for Policy-making, Research, and Practice
Sanne Vammen Larsen
Aalborg University
Eleanor K. Bors
Oregon State University
L
ara J
ohannsd
ottir
University of Iceland
Elena Gladun
University of Tyumen
Daria Gritsenko
University of Helsinki
Soili Nysten-Haarala
University of Lapland
Svetlana Tulaeva
North-West Institute of Management
Todd Sformo
University of Alaska Fairbanks and
North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management
Abstract
The Arctic currently holds a prominent place in global policy. It is a sparsely populated region experiencing major conse-
quences of global change, such as climate change, shifting demographics, and globalization. These substantial and rapid
changes create both opportunities and risks for economic development. Informed policy-making for sustainable development
in the Arctic will require an understanding of the specific structures of arctic economies, with a focus on the existence of
mixed economies that contain both subsistence and market aspects, the interplay among different economic systems, and the
broader contexts in which they function. This paper presents a conceptual framework that allows for comparative analysis of
arctic economies within their institutional, social, cultural, and environmental contexts. Utilization of the conceptual framework
will enable more complete system-level analyses by helping to describe the complex relationships among apparently disparate
parts of the Arctic’s diverse economic systems. The framework can be used across the social and natural sciences, practice,
and policy-making. Furthermore, this framework is applicable to regions outside of the Arctic that also have distinct mixed
subsistence and market economies.
Arctic economies and sustainability
The Arctic is the northernmost region of Earth, geographi-
cally defined as the area within the Arctic Circle, a line
of latitude about 66.5°north of the Equator. Definitions of
the Arctic vary. According to the Arctic Human Develop-
ment Report, approximately four million people inhabit the
Arctic (Heleniak and Bogoyavlensky, 2014); while the
©2019 University of Durham and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Global Policy (2019) 10:4 doi: 10.1111/1758-5899.12720
Global Policy Volume 10 . Issue 4 . November 2019
686
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