The purpose of the course

The purpose of this PhD course is to introduce students to both multidisciplinary and multi-theoretical approaches to Arctic extractive industries oriented research. A core focus of this class is to grapple with the interdependent sub-national, national, international and transnational nature of non-renewable resource development. This course will introduce a number of theoretical perspectives for better understanding and addressing the multifarious issues surrounding Arctic extractive industries. This course seeks to directly contribute to furthering the development of students own research theses/dissertations.

The course will offer:
1. an introduction to the field of Arctic extractive industries based on political, regulatory, legitimacy, stakeholder and institutional approaches from a comparative and global perspective;
2. a reflection on relevant theoretical and methodological assumptions and challenges; as well as
3. a focus on the technical and regulatory, social, political and economic challenges for local Arctic capacity building and business development and
4. a discussion of students' research questions and projects.

The theme of the course

The course aims at bringing together students at the PhD level in the interdisciplinary fields of business studies, economics, political science, political/economic geography, and global politics. It will provide students with a systematic and critical exposure to three areas:

1. Theoretical and methodological approaches to resource management in relation to issues of exploration of Arctic Extractive Industries (e.g. regulatory, legitimacy, stakeholder and institutional approaches to resource development),
2. Arctic extractive industries in the context of global resource development,
3. Practical components, challenges and application of capacity building and business development of Arctic extractive industries. The course will have a theoretically multidisciplinary focus which will integrate different research traditions from business studies, economics, political science, political/economic geography, and global politics.
4. An opportunity to receive feedback from peers on PhD dissertations/thesis research.