Russian-American Scientific Cooperation in the Arctic in the Age of Geopolitical Turbulence

Abstract

Introduction. The article examines cooperation between Russia and the US on Arctic research in the context of the Ukrainian crisis. One of the accompanying tasks is to study the motivations of both sides for continuing such cooperation. Methods and materials. The article uses the so-called liberal intergovernmental approach as a research method, aiming to explain the reasons for cooperation between countries with different socio-political structures and national interests on the world stage. The empirical basis for the study was the documents of international organizations, US and Russian state institutions, as well as research organizations in Russia and the US involved in the study of the Arctic. Analysis. The article demonstrates that currently there are four main levels of US-Russian scientific cooperation in the Arctic: interpersonal (individual), institutional (between various Russian and American organizations), state (government exchange programs), and international (within the framework of multilateral organizations of a global and regional nature). Results. It is concluded that despite the unfriendly actions taken by the US against Russian scientists and organizations, the “mechanism of interdependence” created in previous years did not allow to completely interrupt scientific ties between these countries. Both sides are well aware of the value of cooperation in this area and therefore try to maintain certain channels of interaction. Natural science topics (climate change, meteorology, environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, oceanology, glaciology, etc.) dominate the priorities of US-Russian scientific cooperation in the Arctic. However, socio-humanitarian and interdisciplinary issues (local communities, indigenous peoples, gender studies, urban development and planning, etc.) have recently become increasingly important. The authors believe that scientific cooperation between Russia and the US in the Arctic will revive as the international situation and bilateral relations between the two countries normalize after the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict. Authors’ contribution. V.N. Konyshev: Introduction and Analysis. A.A. Sergunin: Abstract, methods and materials, results, and design of the scientific apparatus.