This volume examines how small states navigate one of the world’s most dynamic and contested regions. While much of the debate on Arctic politics focuses on the strategic actions of major powers, this book shifts attention to Norway, Denmark/Greenland, Iceland, Finland, and Sweden — small but influential Arctic actors. Through a comparative framework grounded in small state theory, the book explores how these states manage their interests amid shifting power dynamics, intensifying security concerns, and changing regional conditions. It demonstrates the diverse strategies small states employ to balance vulnerability, agency, and opportunity. Combining conceptual innovation with accessible case studies, this concise volume offers a fresh perspective on Arctic geopolitics. It will be of interest to scholars, students, and practitioners concerned with international relations, small state foreign policy, security studies, and the evolving geopolitics of the Arctic.

Iryna Lukianova is a post-doctoral researcher at the Chair of International Relations and International Political Economy at the University of Zurich. She obtained her PhD from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Before joining the University of Zurich, she worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine from 2021 to 2022.