Irresponsible Idealism? : examining the challenges of the Norwegian approach to Civil-Military Interaction

This report, which summarizes some of the key results of the research and analysis conducted during the CIMIC Requirements and Education in Norway (CREN) project at the University of Tromsø, wishes to contribute to opening a dialogue on Norway’s approach to civil-military interaction. The CREN project has also resulted in a soon-to-be-published book which goes into greater detail regarding the complexities of the civil-military interface which defies quick-fix solutions or policy mantras. The CREN Project had as its primary objective to assess education and training capabilities in civil-military interaction broadly speaking, and NATO CIMIC (Civil-Military Cooperation) in particular, in Norway. The main finding of this 4 year research project is that the Norwegian policy regarding civil-military interaction, expressed as the “Norwegian model”, has significantly reduced but not improved the civil-military interaction capacity within the Norwegian military, which in turn has not led to any significant focus in training and education in this field. This report is not meant to be a final word on the subject, but is rather meant as a springboard that can open up a very complex discussion about the future of interactions between militaries and civilians. What can be concluded however, is that reducing competency for any actor in this area, and not least the military, is not an answer

The Politics of Russian Arctic shipping: evolving security and geopolitical factors

This study examines how soft security, including economic and environmental issues, inform the broader security and geopolitical factors of Moscow’s policy on the Northern Sea Route (NSR). The authors begin by discussing how Russia’s hard and soft security perceptions of Arctic shipping evolved in the post-Cold War era, including perceptional changes in the context of the Ukrainian crisis and ongoing tensions between Russia and the West. The article tries to structure Russia’s security/geopolitical discourse on the NSR by identifying its key elements, including the role of the NSR in ensuring the country’s economic security and its cohesiveness and connectivity of its different and distant from each other territories; NATO military activities in the NSR’s adjacent regions; the US and some other states’ vision of the Arctic sea lanes as ‘global commons’ where the freedom of navigation principle should be applicable; the need to control vast maritime spaces and coastline to prevent potential illegal activities ranging from poaching and smuggling to illegal migration and attacks against critical industrial and military objects; and the need to develop search and rescue (SAR) capabilities and be prepared to prevent and/or fight oil spills. The paper also discusses to what extent security and geopolitical concerns affect Russia’s present-day debate and decision-making on the NSR, including its economic/commercial, diplomatic and legal aspects. The authors lastly examine what kind of practical measures are taken by the Russian authorities to ensure hard and soft security of Arctic shipping: reopening of old Soviet and constructing new Russian military bases along the NSR most of which have dual-use (SAR) capabilities; development of a border guard station network in the region; modernisation of the Coast Guard fleet; creation of SAR and emergency operations centres along the Arctic Ocean coastline; and the improvement of communication and navigation systems to increase maritime safety

Arctic Exceptionalism’ or ‘comprehensive security’? Understanding security in the Arctic

Source at https://arcticyearbook.com/images/yearbook/2019/Scholarly-Papers/11_AY2019_Hoogensen_Hodgson.pdf. Journal home page page https://arcticyearbook.com/arctic-yearbook/2019.Since Mikhail Gorbachev’s icebreaking Murmansk speech in 1987, the Arctic has been considered to be an “exceptional” region of peace and cooperation in security studies. While acknowledging the relevance of this narrative, this article nevertheless argues the “Arctic exceptionalism” narrative is insufficient for understanding the complex security situation in the region. The lens of comprehensive security allows for an analysis of power that reveals which security narratives dominate, why, and who decides. After a brief description of the key elements associated with “Arctic Exceptionalism” and clarification of the terms “Arctic,” “security,” and “comprehensive security,” this article offers four core arguments against the dominance of the Arctic Exceptionalism narrative, and concludes that the comprehensive security approach provides a more nuanced and dynamic way of capturing the dynamic cooperative and competitive narratives of Arctic security today

Re-thinking Violence, Everyday and (In)Security: Feminist/Intersectional Interventions (Editorial)

This special gender issue brings to the fore a renewed focus on the importance of feminist intersectional analyses in understanding violence and (in)security in the everyday. It does so through the examination of several cases across the globe. The first set of articles examines how gender is understood in the context of police reform initiatives in post-conflict contexts, where despite political peace agreements, many forms of violence and insecurity continue in the everyday.  The second set of articles focuses on gender in populist movement, and particularly foregrounds an intersectional lens. The intersections of race, religion, class, caste, geographies and gender raise important questions when analyzing populist projects, including how the rise of populism may indicate a growing dissonance between the domestic and international, and how this is relevant to understanding the changing nature of violence and (in)security in this changing global era. Taken together, the two sets of articles give a rich account of the significance of incorporating a more complex understanding of gender in gaining better insight into contemporary societal processes

What is the value of security? Contextualising the negative/positive debate

Review of International Studies has seen a debate over the value of security. At its heart this is a debate about ethics: concerning the extent to which security is a ‘good’ and whether or not security politics produces the kind of world we want. More recent contributions focus on the extent to which security is ‘positive’ or ‘negative’. However, this article argues that the existing debate is limited and confusing: key authors use the terms ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ in different, and, at times, contradictory ways. The article clarifies the roots of the existing debate, and then draws out two different uses of the terms positive and negative: an analytic frame and a normative frame. In response, it proposes a pragmatist frame that synthesises the existing uses, drawing on pragmatism and practice-centred approaches to analyse the value of security in context. The contribution of the article is thus twofold: it both clarifies the existing debate and suggests a solution. This is key because the debate over the value of security is crucial to thinking about how we want to live

Probabilistic assessment of the durability performance of concrete structures

In recent years, much research work has been carried out in order to obtain a more controlled durability and long-term performance of concrete structures in chloride containing environments. In particular, the development of new procedures for probability-based durability design has proved to be very valuable. In order to provide more data and experience with probability-based durability design, two relatively new concrete structures in Norwegian harbours were selected for detailed investigations in the field and subjected to durability analysis. For each structure, the field investigation included a large number of chloride penetration measurements, electrochemical surface potential mapping and measurements of concrete cover. The equation used for modelling of the chloride penetration was based on Fick’s Second Law of Diffusion in combination with a time dependent diffusion coefficient. The probability analysis of the durability performance was performed by use of a Monte Carlo Simulation. For the most exposed beam elements, the durability analysis showed that the probability of failure in the form of onset of steel corrosion exceeded 10 % within a period of 10 to 15 years, while the field investigations revealed that the chloride front had already reached a depth varying from 40 to 50 mm after a service period of 7 to 8 years. For the most exposed anchor slab, a 10 % probability of failure was exceeded within a period of 10 years, while a depassivation of the embedded steel had already taken place after 8 years. If a probability-based durability design had been carried out as an integral part of the original design of the structures, such a poor durability would probably not have been acceptable

Software for evaluating probability-based integrity of reinforced concrete structures

In recent years, much research work has been carried out in order to obtain a more controlled durability and long-term performance of concrete structures in chloride containing environment. In particular, the development of new procedures for probability-based durability design has proved to give a more realistic basis for the analysis. Although there is still a lack of relevant data, this approach has been successfully applied to several new concrete structures, where requirements to a more controlled durability and service life have been specified. A probability-based durability analysis has also become an important and integral part of condition assessment of existing concrete structures in chloride containing environment. In order to facilitate the probability-based durability analysis, a software named DURACON has been developed, where the probabilistic approach is based on a Monte Carlo simulation. In the present paper, the software for the probability-based durability analysis is briefly described and used in order to demonstrate the importance of the various durability parameters affecting the durability of concrete structures in chloride containing environment

Identidade, estabilidade, ameaças híbridas e desinformação

The following article examines the relevance of gender and intersectional analyses to better understanding hybrid threats, in particular those that are increasingly targeting civilian environments. The authors first present relevant concepts including hybrid threats and warfare, resilience, disinformation, civilian agency, and intersectionality as a method. Thereafter they discuss how disinformation is used to destabilise societies by directly attacking civilian spaces and attempting to foment polarisation and unrest, if not conflict. The authors then discuss how the concepts of disinformation and civilian agency are illuminated through gender and intersectional analyses, speaking to complex, civilian contexts by examining how gender (and race) have been employed to attempt to foment destabilisation. They conclude with some brief reflections about the role of gender and intersectional approaches in understanding hybrid threats and warfare, not just in European but also for other parts of the world.El artículo examina la relevancia de los análisis interseccionales y de género para comprender mejor las amenazas híbridas, en particular aquellas que se dirigen cada vez más a entornos civiles. En primer lugar se presentan los conceptos más relevantes, que incluyen: amenazas híbridas y guerra, resiliencia, desinformación, agencia civil e interseccionalidad como método. A partir de estos, se discute cómo se utiliza la desinformación para desestabilizar sociedades atacando directamente los espacios civiles e intentando fomentar la polarización, el malestar o directamente el conflicto. A continuación, se discute cómo los conceptos de desinformación y agencia civil se pueden comprender a través de análisis interseccionales y de género, cuando se abordan contextos civiles complejos al examinar cómo se ha empleado el género (y la raza) para intentar fomentar la desestabilización. Las conclusiones proponen algunas breves reflexiones sobre el papel del género y los enfoques interseccionales en la comprensión de las amenazas híbridas y la guerra, no solo en Europa sino también en otras partes del mundo.O artigo examina a relevância das análises intersetoriais e de gênero para entender melhor as ameaças híbridas, particularmente aquelas que têm como alvo cada vez mais ambientes civis. Em primeiro lugar, são apresentados os conceitos mais relevantes, que incluem: ameaças híbridas e guerra, resiliência, desinformação, agência civil e interseccionalidade como método. Com base nisso, discute-se como a desinformação é usada para desestabilizar as sociedades, atacando diretamente os espaços civis e tentando promover a polarização, a agitação ou o conflito direto. A seguir, é discutido como os conceitos de desinformação e agência civil podem ser entendidos por meio de análises intersetoriais e de gênero, ao abordar contextos civis complexos, examinando como gênero (e raça) tem sido usado para tentar promover a desestabilização. Os resultados propõem algumas reflexões breves sobre o papel do gênero e das abordagens intersetoriais na compreensão das ameaças híbridas e da guerra, não apenas na Europa, mas também em outras partes do mundo

Women’s Perspectives on Human Security: Violence, Environment, and Sustainability

Violent conflict, climate change, and poverty present distinct threats to women worldwide. Importantly, women are leading the way creating and sharing sustainable solutions. Women’s security is a valuable analytical tool as well as a political agenda insofar as it addresses the specific problems affecting women’s ability to live dignified, free, and secure lives. First, this collection focuses on how conflict impacts women’s lives and well-being, including rape and gendered constructions of ethnicity, race, and religion. The book’s second section looks beyond the scope of large-scale violence to examine human security in terms of environmental policy, food, water, health, and economics. Multidisciplinary in scope, these essays from new and established contributors draw from gender studies, international relations, criminology, political science, economics, sociology, biological and ecological sciences, and planning.https://ohioopen.library.ohio.edu/oupress/1012/thumbnail.jp

Preanestetisk sjekkliste som påvirkende faktor for pasientsikkerhet - En systematisk litteraturstudie

Masteroppgavens hensikt er å undersøke hvordan anestesisykepleieren, ved hjelp av preanestetisk sjekkliste, påvirker pasientsikkerhet ved anestesiinnledning. Det er gjort en litteraturstudie med systematisk tilnærming. Litteratursøk er utført i CINAHL, PubMed og Cochrane Library. Åtte forskningsartikler er inkludert i studiet. Inkludert forskning er kritisk vurdert og kvalitetssjekket etter anbefalte standarder. Utfallsmål og resultater er analysert ved hjelp av narrativ tilnærming og systematisert i tema egnet for å belyse forskningsspørsmålet. Konklusjon: Preanestetisk sjekkliste kan standardisere preanestetisk forberedelse og kommunikasjon i anestesiteamet, og slik bidra som kognitivt verktøy i preanestetisk fase. Dette kan forhindre menneskelige feil, styrke effektivt teamarbeid og forebygge uønskede hendelser ved anestesiutøvelsen. Preanestetisk sjekkliste kan bidra positivt som standardisert læringsverktøy i utdanning- og opplæringsforløp. Ytterligere forskning anbefales