Logotyp: till Försvarshögskolans hemsida

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