Norwegian Centre on Geopolitics

GEOPOL brings together five premier Norwegian research institutions: The Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) (host), the Fridtjof Nansen Institute (FNI), the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies (IFS), the University of Oslo (UiO) as an educational and competence-building partner, and the University of Tromsø (UiT) as an Arctic partner. It aims to strengthen research on the drivers and consequences of geopolitical competition, with a particular focus on the rise of China. What, for example, are the consequences of US-China competition or rivalry for Norwegian investments abroad, for security in the Arctic, or for the future of the multilateral system? Research will also explore domestic-level drivers of the foreign policies of great powers, the role and potential weaponisation of new technology, and new alliance patterns in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. It seeks to address these questions through a focus on different issue areas, including security, trade and investments, energy, and development assistance, and exploring geopolitical competition in different regions. The Centre is organised to produce cutting edge scientific research and targeted dissemination to policy makers, Norwegian organisations and the broader public through regular seminars, op-eds, media appearances and podcasts. The Centre will also invest heavily in long-term competence building through new courses for students and master classes on selected topics for professionals.

GEOPOL asks: What are the key drivers and content of intensifying relations between great powers, and what are the consequences for international order and for Norway? GEOPOL approaches this question through a combination of analyzes of structural features of great power rivalry—such as polarity, geography, hegemony, and balancing—with more granular analyses both of domestic factors, regional-level differences, as well as variation across issue-areas. It will focus on consequences for the multilateral system, including a rules-based international order, the prospects for continued economic growth and investments in development assistance to ODA-eligible countries, the energy transition, and security issues, with a particular focus on issues of relevance for Norway. GEOPOL brings together five premier Norwegian research institutions: The Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) (host), the Fridtjof Nansen Institute (FNI), the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies (IFS), the University of Oslo (UiO) as an educational and competence-building partner, and the University of Tromsø (UiT) as an Arctic partner. Together, GEOPOL combines country-specific expertise on great powers (US, China, EU and Russia) and expertise on key issue-areas (Security, Multilateralism, Growth and Innovation, and Energy and Sustainability), with detailed regional expertise on the Arctic, Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas. This allows GEOPOL to analyze global developments and identify their relevance for Norwegian foreign policy and for Norwegian society in general. It will deliver: i) cutting edge academic research; ii) timely and relevant policy reflections and advice; iii) competence-building on geopolitics, and China, for researchers, students, and professionals in public and private organizations; and iv) engage national and international networks to debate the future of geopolitics and its implications for Norway.