Geopolitics in Scandinavia

Geopolitical analysis and geostrategy are vital parts of the Scandinavian realist tradition. It is not a clearly defined academic school, and its connections to various forms of realism is often undefined or implicit, but it tends to be united by its policy relevance and empirical emphasis. More specifically, in the Cold War period geopolitical studies in Scandinavia was characterized by a small-state perspective, focus on state strategies, and the power of history. State strategies were explored as various forms of small-state adaptation in classic concepts like the Nordic balance, the Swedish double policy, and Finlandization. Even if critics have pointed out explanatory shortcomings, the return of Russia as regional threat has also reinforced the use of geopolitical analysis. Future issues in Scandinavian geopolitics are both conceptual (what is it?), theoretical (what can it explain?), and empirical (the impact of shifting power structures in international relations).