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The Greenland-Denmark Relationship: A New Security Configuration

Beniczky, Anna Klara LU and Orton Ek, Emmeline LU (2026) STVK12 20261
Department of Political Science
Abstract (Swedish)
This thesis examines how the second Trump administration’s renewed interest in Greenland reshaped Danish and Greenlandic security discourse from January 2025 to April 2026. Building on securitization theory and literature on Greenland in Arctic security, the thesis analyzes official Danish and Greenlandic political statements through qualitative discourse analysis. The analysis focuses on what Danish and Greenlandic officials securitize, what they de-securitize, and how responsibility is placed between Greenland, Denmark, the United States, NATO, and other partners. The thesis argues that Trump’s second term partly reconfigured Danish and Greenlandic security discourse. Greenlandic sovereignty and society became the central shared object... (More)
This thesis examines how the second Trump administration’s renewed interest in Greenland reshaped Danish and Greenlandic security discourse from January 2025 to April 2026. Building on securitization theory and literature on Greenland in Arctic security, the thesis analyzes official Danish and Greenlandic political statements through qualitative discourse analysis. The analysis focuses on what Danish and Greenlandic officials securitize, what they de-securitize, and how responsibility is placed between Greenland, Denmark, the United States, NATO, and other partners. The thesis argues that Trump’s second term partly reconfigured Danish and Greenlandic security discourse. Greenlandic sovereignty and society became the central shared object of protection, while the United States became both ally and pressure source. Greenlandic discourse became more explicit about agency, consent, red lines, and respectful cooperation. Danish discourse became more protective by rejecting US ownership and annexation logic, while keeping security cooperation open through NATO, the 1951 defence agreement, and dialogue. The findings show that the crisis did not erase the hierarchy of the Realm. Instead, it reorganized it: Denmark and Greenland moved closer together under US pressure, but not as equals. (Less)
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author
Beniczky, Anna Klara LU and Orton Ek, Emmeline LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVK12 20261
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Arctic security, Securitization, Greenland, Denmark, Danish Realm.
language
English
id
9227543
date added to LUP
2026-06-16 15:08:40
date last changed
2026-06-16 15:08:40
@misc{9227543,
  abstract     = {{This thesis examines how the second Trump administration’s renewed interest in Greenland reshaped Danish and Greenlandic security discourse from January 2025 to April 2026. Building on securitization theory and literature on Greenland in Arctic security, the thesis analyzes official Danish and Greenlandic political statements through qualitative discourse analysis. The analysis focuses on what Danish and Greenlandic officials securitize, what they de-securitize, and how responsibility is placed between Greenland, Denmark, the United States, NATO, and other partners. The thesis argues that Trump’s second term partly reconfigured Danish and Greenlandic security discourse. Greenlandic sovereignty and society became the central shared object of protection, while the United States became both ally and pressure source. Greenlandic discourse became more explicit about agency, consent, red lines, and respectful cooperation. Danish discourse became more protective by rejecting US ownership and annexation logic, while keeping security cooperation open through NATO, the 1951 defence agreement, and dialogue. The findings show that the crisis did not erase the hierarchy of the Realm. Instead, it reorganized it: Denmark and Greenland moved closer together under US pressure, but not as equals.}},
  author       = {{Beniczky, Anna Klara and Orton Ek, Emmeline}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Greenland-Denmark Relationship: A New Security Configuration}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}