This interview is part of a series of interviews with academics and practitioners in the early stages of their careers. The interviews discuss current research and projects, as well as advice for other early career academics.
Zachary Lavengood is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Department of North American Studies in the School of International Studies at Charles University. His research focuses on Arctic and Eurasian geopolitics, with a particular focus on hotspots and geopolitical evolution arising from climate change. His published works include: The evolving Arctic in the world systemChina and the 21st Century Arctic: Opportunities and Limitations, and examining the South China Sea dispute using general morphological analysis
What (or who) prompted the most significant shift in your thinking or encouraged you to pursue your field of study?
Immanuel Wallerstein has had a major influence on my academic thinking, and I might even label myself a fan. I first encountered his work in an international relations textbook I bought from a second-hand bookstore while I was preparing for my master’s program. Excerpts from his writings piqued my interest, and over the next few years I read through his works. His world-systems theory and his ability to analyze global affairs from an Archimedean perspective, as well as the frankness with which it spoke about inequality and exploitation, changed my perspective on the world around me. Its preference for objectivity over idealism continues to influence my research.
What geopolitical challenges and opportunities do you see emerging in the Arctic? How will these affect international relations in the coming years?
The status of the Arctic is undergoing a fundamental transformation, from a geopolitical hangover to an increasingly important aspect of many countries’ grand strategies. This is due to climate change, which is causing the region to evolve from cold and predictable areas to seasonal extremes; this evolution has brought a wealth of new opportunities, such as resources emerging from ice locks, long-sought Eurasian mainland routes and the burgeoning tourism industry. However, this comes at a cost, the Arctic is the fastest warming region on Earth and if left unchecked, climate change will cause significant environmental impacts throughout the world system due to important geophysical processes such as ocean currents or polar albedo rate) effectiveness) are in jeopardy; unfortunately, this is likely to continue as the international community drags its feet on tackling climate change.
As this continues, countries will begin to assert their own interests in the region, potentially exacerbating tensions. This situation is exacerbated by the fact that the Arctic Council, the region’s premier multilateral forum, has become inert due to the fallout from the war in Ukraine. It is important to remember that the region only began to internationalize after the Cold War, so it has no precedent for dealing with fluctuations in tensions like many other regions in the world system. While this is concerning, it doesn’t necessarily count as existential. While relations may freeze again, as they did before 1991, the Arctic is an extremely difficult environment to operate in from a security perspective, and therefore much of the military infrastructure in the High North is defensive in nature, meaning Overall, military infrastructure in the Arctic is defensive in nature. Breaking a shield is more difficult than breaking a saber.
What makes the Arctic so important to China? How do these interests influence China’s priorities and decision-making in the region?
China is a rising power on the global stage and is looking for ways to make a name for itself in the world system, or in more academic terms, seeking prestige. The Arctic is a region where China sees an opportunity to spread its influence and gain such prestige, prompting Beijing to integrate itself into regional dynamics, according to its Arctic policy white paper (published in 2018). They successfully became Arctic Council observers in 2013 and have since participated in many Track 2 dialogues in the region, the most important of which is China’s heavily funded scientific pursuits, both to further understand the Arctic environment and also to promote a way of relating to other countries and their scientific communities. The region is also rich in many resources (mainly hydrocarbons) that China needs to keep its energy-hungry economy running and importantly provides opportunities to diversify its energy mix; this is a strategic issue because If a conflict breaks out in its home region (such as the South China Sea), its supplies from the Middle East could be cut off and limit its ability to sustain its economy/military.
Although China claims to be a country close to the Arctic, it is well aware of its lack of agency in the region and suspects that the eight Arctic countries, especially the coastal countries, view outsiders and access to the Arctic much less favorably than China does. area. China’s largest partner in the Arctic is Russia, and it has used this relationship to gain a foothold in the Arctic, primarily through bilateral agreements and deals between Beijing and Moscow, which can give China the opportunity to interact in the Arctic while also Without appearing aggressive (for example, the Yamal LNG project). However, this situation has received little attention for the time being as the war in Ukraine has prompted Russia to be excluded from most multilateral activities in the region. This also means that China’s position in the High North has been weakened and its partnership with Russia in the region (particularly technology exchanges and resource investments/purchases) must be approached carefully to avoid incurring the wrath of the sanctions-loving West.
Can the Northern Sea Route and Arctic waters compete economically with the South China Sea in the future? Why/how?
For now, that’s unlikely. While the Northern Sea Route (NSR) is now more open than ever, it still has significant disadvantages compared to traditional routes that are often not worth the time/cost benefits of sailing along the NSR. Most important is its limited (although expanding) shipping season, open only when there is no sea ice or sea ice is thin enough to allow safe shipping; especially during the final stages of the shipping season, rapid changes in weather can cause Ships become trapped in ice (as happened in November 2021). In addition, Russia has implemented a strict regulatory regime for ships sailing along the Northern Sea Route, including the use of Russian pilots, insurance requirements, fees, etc., which may lead many shipping companies to look elsewhere with less complexity. However, in times of geopolitical extremes, the Northern Sea Route may come in handy to avoid areas such as the South China Sea where ships are more vulnerable to hostile naval attacks. Currently, the Northern Sea Route is most commonly used for “destination transportation” (transportation to and from ports along the route) rather than “transit transportation” (transportation from Asian ports to European ports and vice versa), which is a trend for the foreseeable future. , this situation may continue. However, the Northern Sea Route is certainly on the radar of shopping companies who will increase their use of the route if it becomes more cost-effective.
Why is a world systems perspective useful in analyzing current events in the Arctic?
The Arctic is a dynamic region best viewed from a wide-angle lens, which shows how the rest of the world connects to the High North. World systems analysis enables observers to avoid traditional academic barriers that limit the analytical connection of one region to another, or to focus solely on economics or politics; the flexible scope of analysis makes world systems analysis so valuable in providing objective empirical research Useful, and the Arctic is no exception. As climate change causes the region to become more cosmopolitan and dynamic, observers must maintain a comprehensive understanding of geopolitical processes in the Arctic, which can be achieved through world systems analysis.
What are you currently working on?
I am currently completing my PhD thesis, which focuses on generating a deeper understanding of geopolitical hot spots as social phenomena. In the paper, I use the Arctic and the South China Sea as case studies respectively as hotspots of competition and conflict, focusing on the diplomatic, economic and security factors that lead to the creation and persistence of hotspots. At work, I have created a flashpoint typology that I hope will find application in the fields of conflict research and conflict mitigation.
What is the most important piece of advice you could give to other early career or young academics?
I encourage early career and young academics to be independent-minded in their research; don’t take sides or try to support political/national narratives, there’s a lot of that in the world already. What helps us move forward is objective research that presents the world as it is, good and bad, so that we as a global community can grapple with the lingering problems of the 20th century and the evolving problems of the 21st. This issue must be faced to ensure a better future for all.
Further reading on electronic international relations
