Defining of the Arctic as a political region and the Arctic regionalism within the framework of regionalism studies

The Arctic region, which is located at the northernmost part of the world and mostly covered in ice, is in a period of change and transformation that are triggered by factors such as the change in the structure of international system, the liberalisation of economy at a global level and the climate change. In the last 25-30 years or so, it has been aimed at transforming the Arctic region, which in the past involved threat and was securitized, into a geography where peace and cooperation are desired. In addition, melting glaciers due to the climate change brings about new economic, political and commercial opportunities as well as ecological disasters. The actors in the Arctic, who want both to benefit from these opportunities and to eliminate environmental threats, are in the pursuit of regionness. The aim of this thesis is to draw the political boundaries of the Arctic, where it has been tried to develop cooperation and coordination, and to examine the regionalism in the Arctic within the framework of regionalism studies. In the thesis, the Arctic will be taken as a developed region and the Arctic regionalisation will be analysed according to the level of regionness, which is conceptualised in the new regionalism theory. In addition, the practice of new regionalism will be examined through the Arctic regionalism. Key Words: Regionalism, Regionalisation, Regionness, the Level of Regionness, the Pursuit of Regionness, the Arctic Region, the Arctic Regionalism, the Arctic Council.