Ingrid Medby is a senior lecturer at Newcastle University in the UK. Originally from Northern Norway, Dr. Medby has studied in Australia and the UK, and holds a PhD from Durham University. In addition to her academic background, Dr. Medby previously worked at the North Norway European Office in Brussels, Belgium. Throughout her studies and work as an academic, Dr. Medby has been fascinated by the Arctic, with a particular focus on geopolitics, statecraft, sovereignty and identity issues involving, and impacting, the Arctic. Today’s interview is about her new book, Arctic state identity: Geography, history and geopolitical relations, which brings together her personal and professional interests in the Arctic.
1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself and how you became interested in researching the Arctic.
I grew up in North Norway, across the three towns Kirkenes, Bodø, and Tromsø. However, it was only when I moved abroad to study that I realised that the region I was from was increasingly seen as ‘the Arctic’ from the south. In particular from the early 2000s onwards we saw the label ‘Arctic’ becoming more and more commonplace, and I became fascinated by what this might mean for people’s identities in the region. During my master’s studies in Edinburgh, I first studied how young Norwegians felt about their so-called Arctic identities, before I turned to look specifically at the title of ‘Arctic states’ in my PhD at Durham University in the UK. Since then I have continued to work on the intersection of identity and inter-personal relations’ importance for geopolitics, diplomacy, and statecraft in the region.
2. You just published a new book, Arctic state identity: Geography, history and geopolitical relations with Manchester University Press. When did you start working on your book?
In many ways, the book’s ‘starting point’ was my PhD, which I began in 2013, so in that sense it has been a long process and a lot of work! But while the PhD was an in-depth study of Norwegian, Icelandic, and Canadian state representatives’ articulations of their states’ Arctic identities, the book takes a step back to consider the concept of state identity more broadly – and specifically in the Arctic region as a whole. It builds on years of fieldwork, interviews, analyses, observations, and participation in the region, and of course time spent writing, re-writing, editing, and checking proofs. Since this is my first book, I have found the publication process really interesting to be part of, and have learnt a lot from the wonderful editors at Manchester University Press.
3. What inspired you to write this book and why do you think this book is important for people to read if they interested in the Arctic, issues of national and state identity and geopolitical issues pertaining to the Circumpolar North?
Having worked on these topics for several years now, I wanted to be able to share some of these insights with a wider audience. While the book is of course primarily an academic book, it is written so that it can be accessible also to audiences who share an interest in the region more generally. I have just given a copy to my mother, so that will be a test on how successful I have been in that regard!
The motivation to share it more widely was that, in addition to the academic and conceptual contributions that the research makes, it also makes some important points that I think are relevant much more widely: Firstly, that identity matters for the kinds of decisions that are made, even at the level of the state; and second, that ‘the Arctic state’ is made up people who all have their individual and inter-personal understandings of identity, relationships, background, and feelings. I think this latter point is particularly important now in a time when there seems to be increasing societal divides, and being a political expert is seen as an insult.
Finally, I also hope that more people living within the Arctic states will recognise these official titles as relevant also to them, even if they don’t necessarily have a personal Arctic identity or even live north of the Arctic Circle. I say this because I think the Arctic can often feel quite a foreign term and perhaps far away from everyday life in the ‘North’, but actually decisions made under this banner will affect everyone – and so, everyone should feel able to participate in these debates.
4. What does you book focus on specifically?
The book focuses specifically on how state personnel in Norway, Iceland, and Canada see their countries’ Arctic statehood and identities. Across all three, there was a broad recognition that there is a difference between holding a title of Arctic state and feeling part of an Arctic nation. The book focuses on the former of the two, namely how this formal title, usually based on Arctic Council membership and geographical location, is articulated by those whose jobs it is to represent it. These state personnel I interviewed were also diverse – some were politicians, some civil servants; some in government, some in opposition, parliament, and the senate; and some were Indigenous, some from the north, and some had never even been there. So, it gives a really broad sense of both shared understandings, and divergent ways of relating to a region and to a professional role.
The ways that state identities are articulated were, firstly, through geography and temporality. By this I mean, we mostly think about a state’s location, its history, and its envisioned futures, and secondly, through relations at various scales and vis-à-vis contextual others. That means, we can talk about Arctic state identities internationally, nationally, intra-nationally, and even personally and professionally. These underlying structures of how state identities are articulated are likely not unique to an Arctic title, and so I hope it can generate some discussion also beyond the region.
5. Where can people find out more about your book?
You can find out more on Manchester University Press’ website and in their catalogue: https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526153906/
And do feel free to get in touch, I always love hearing others’ thoughts on these topics! You can find me on bluesky (@ingridagnete.bsky.social), and to a lesser extent X (@IngridAgnete), and I am of course available via email (Ingrid.medby@newcastle.ac.uk).
Women in the Arctic and Antarctic 