Introduction: Norway's strategic priority

The Arctic - or ‘High North’, as it is called in a Norwegian context - has, since the early 2000s, been Norway’s foremost priority in its foreign and security policies. This has to do with three things: Russia, global attention to the region, and economic opportunities. However, the situation looks different now than when Norway first raised the area on the political agenda two decades ago. The High North and the entire circumpolar Arctic have become an arena for symbol politics and military exercise activity, while the Arctic countries continue to cooperate on a number of issues. In the middle of this is Norway. This introductory chapter examines the broad lines of developments in recent years regarding Norway’s position and role in the North. It also introduces the other contributions and points to some of the most relevant findings that are being discussed.