A newly released book, Reluctant Conquest: American Wealth, Power, and Science in the Arctic, by Kathryn C. Lavelle, offers a sweeping history of the United States’ evolving relationship with the Arctic. From the American Revolution through the acquisition of Alaska to the present day, Lavelle traces how economic interests, scientific exploration, and strategic concerns have shaped American engagement in the region.
At the heart of the book lies a pivotal question: What drives American foreign relations in the Arctic? Lavelle explores this question by examining how U.S. Arctic policy has been influenced by a complex interplay of environmental challenges, scientific understandings, military strategy, and political governance. She argues that these elements cannot be considered in isolation if we are to fully understand the country’s past actions—and future decisions—in the North.
As part of her discussion on the geopolitics of the Arctic, Lavelle features a map on Arctic shipping developed by Arctic Portal. The map helps illustrate the strategic importance of emerging Arctic maritime routes as melting sea ice reshapes global shipping dynamics. Arctic Portal’s contribution visually underscores how infrastructure, climate change, and policy intersect in this critical region.
Lavelle is the Ellen and Dixon Long Professor of Political Science at Case Western Reserve University and has served as a congressional fellow and a residential fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. Her work challenges conventional, fragmented narratives by connecting national security, science, and environmental diplomacy in a unified historical analysis.
Reluctant Conquest is an important addition to the growing body of literature on Arctic affairs and a recognition of the value of data-driven resources like those provided by Arctic Portal.
The book is available now from Yale University Press (yalebooks.com).
Source: Kathryn C. Lavelle
The tags below provide an opportunity to view previously posted related news within the selected category