Beyond Symbolic Inclusion: A Case Study of Permanent Participants’ Agency in the Arctic Council.

This thesis investigates the extent of the inclusion of Arctic Indigenous groups in the Arctic Council by analysing the agency of Permanent Participants from 2017 to 2021. Drawing on Sen’s four-dimensional concepts of agency and Giddens’ structuration theory, the study employs a qualitative research design combined with a theory-guided process-tracing approach utilising primary resources from the Arctic Council’s digital archives, including official speeches from ministerial meetings, rules of procedure, participation sheets from Senior Arctic Official plenary and ministerial meetings, working group reports, and complemented by secondary sources. The findings reveal that while Permanent Participants have formal recognition and mechanisms for participation, they face constraints from state-centric structures and power asymmetries. Although Permanent Participants effectively articulate their priorities, focusing on climate change and community protection, their influence remains...Show moreThis thesis investigates the extent of the inclusion of Arctic Indigenous groups in the Arctic Council by analysing the agency of Permanent Participants from 2017 to 2021. Drawing on Sen’s four-dimensional concepts of agency and Giddens’ structuration theory, the study employs a qualitative research design combined with a theory-guided process-tracing approach utilising primary resources from the Arctic Council’s digital archives, including official speeches from ministerial meetings, rules of procedure, participation sheets from Senior Arctic Official plenary and ministerial meetings, working group reports, and complemented by secondary sources. The findings reveal that while Permanent Participants have formal recognition and mechanisms for participation, they face constraints from state-centric structures and power asymmetries. Although Permanent Participants effectively articulate their priorities, focusing on climate change and community protection, their influence remains limited due to geopolitical tensions and resource disparities. Despite a recognition of Indigenous knowledge in governance processes, the agency of Indigenous actors remains hindered by persistent asymmetries. The study underscores the limits of symbolic inclusion and calls for further research by Indigenous scholars to explore how state-centric institutions and funding can affect Indigenous agency.Show less

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Beyond Symbolic Inclusion: A Case Study of Permanent Participants’ Agency in the Arctic Council.