Elena Kavanagh | University College Cork (original) (raw)

Papers by Elena Kavanagh

Research paper thumbnail of Ireland's Arctic Strategy: Building Bridges to the North

Arctic Yearbook 2024

The Arctic region is of global importance due to the escalating impact of climate change, emergin... more The Arctic region is of global importance due to the escalating impact of climate change, emerging economic opportunities and geopolitical dynamics. These changes in the Arctic affect Ireland because of its proximity to the region and its location in the North Atlantic. Despite being on a Northern periphery, Ireland lacks a transparent model for its involvement in Arctic governance. Irish interest in the Arctic is growing due to the country's rich polar tradition and strong research base on oceanography, biodiversity, and climate change impact. There is a clear "gap in Ireland's engagement in the Arctic, and successful stewarding of the Arctic is in Ireland's best interest" (Cronin, 2021). Therefore, two research questions arise. Firstly, given Ireland's experience as a proactive "global actor and bridge builder" (Government of Ireland, 2020) in the international arena, what role could it play, and what can it contribute to the Arctic? Secondly, as the Global Ireland multi-year Strategy to 2025 (Government of Ireland, 2023) comes to an end, should Ireland develop its Arctic regional Strategy? The main strategic Arctic themes for Ireland are ripe for exploration. The political landscape of the Arctic region is rapidly changing and being reimagined (Koivurova et al., 2022). It is, therefore, important to review Ireland's position in this context. This paper serves as an initial step towards a more comprehensive policy analysis of Ireland's role in the Arctic. The main findings of the paper highlight the growing significance of the Arctic region due to climate change and geopolitical dynamics, emphasising Ireland's strategic interest in the area. The paper also underscores the need for Ireland to eliminate the current fragmented approach to Arctic policy and formulate a comprehensive Arctic Strategy to proactively engage with the evolving Arctic political landscape, environmental protection and economic opportunities.

Research paper thumbnail of Book Review: The Proposed Nordic Saami Convention: National and International Dimensions of Indigenous Property Rights, edited by N. Bankes and T. Koivurova

International Journal on Minority and Group Rights , 2014

The Proposed Nordic Saami Convention: National and International Dimensions of Indigenous Propert... more The Proposed Nordic Saami Convention: National and International Dimensions of Indigenous Property Rights is a collection of essays exploring the national and international dimensions of indigenous property rights and the Draft Nordic Saami Convention (Draft Convention). It is essential reading for those interested in indigenous peoples' rights. The book aims at providing a wider context for the developments surrounding the Draft Convention. The Draft Convention is a new international human rights instrument and a form of evolving "social contract"1 between the Saami people and the three Nordic States of Norway, Sweden and Finland. It aims "to confirm and strengthen such rights for the Sami people as to allow the Sami people to safeguard and develop their language, culture, livelihoods and way of life with the least possible interference by national borders" (Article 1). Land and Resource provisions set forth in Chapter IV of the Convention (Articles 34-40) as well as Articles 3, 4, 9, 16 and part V of the Convention are addressed in this volume by different contributors. These provisions of the Draft Convention are the most problematic as there is likely to be resistance by the three governments to adopt them. Part one of the volume is comprised of the articles by Nigel Bankes, Jonnette Watson Hamilton and Jeremy Webber. Nigel Bankes kicks off the discussion on

Research paper thumbnail of Language Rights for Indigenous Peoples: The Case of the Russian Federation

The Yearbook of Polar Law Online, 2013

The Russian Federation is one of the most multinational and heterogeneous countries in the world.... more The Russian Federation is one of the most multinational and heterogeneous countries in the world. There are forty seven officially recognised indigenous peoples, each with their own language. Majority of them are listed as endangered by UNES-CO.1 The situation can be defined as critical and requiring expeditious measures to revive and develop indigenous languages. This paper seeks to assess contemporary legislative and political situations relating to linguistic rights of indigenous peoples in Russia. There has been very little research on the adequacy of protection afforded to the linguistic rights of indigenous peoples in Russia under domestic law. Therefore, it is hoped that this paper will serve as a basis for a much needed academic discussion.

Research paper thumbnail of Arctic governance: An analysis of a treaty-based cooperation hypothesis

Spanish Yearbook of International Law, 2024

This commentary focuses on the method for enhancing cooperation in the Arctic region amidst the c... more This commentary focuses on the method for enhancing cooperation in the Arctic region amidst the challenges posed by global climate change, declining collaboration with Russia, and the growing influence of non-Arctic states such as China. Arctic cooperation can potentially be strengthened by further developing the hypothesis by Timo Koivurova and Akiho Shibata: “Arctic cooperation based on treaties [is] more resilient than that on soft law.” Treaty-based cooperation has the potential to foster productive intergovernmental dialogue and ensure procedural justice for all stakeholders, even in the event of conflict escalation within and beyond the Arctic region. Negotiation and adoption of new treaties in the Arctic appears decidedly remote in the short-term future, given geopolitical tensions and mistrust among Arctic states. Nonetheless, the prioritization of treaty-based cooperation should be considered for the future models of Arctic Governance.

Research paper thumbnail of Ireland's Arctic Strategy: Building Bridges to the North

Arctic Yearbook 2024

The Arctic region is of global importance due to the escalating impact of climate change, emergin... more The Arctic region is of global importance due to the escalating impact of climate change, emerging economic opportunities and geopolitical dynamics. These changes in the Arctic affect Ireland because of its proximity to the region and its location in the North Atlantic. Despite being on a Northern periphery, Ireland lacks a transparent model for its involvement in Arctic governance. Irish interest in the Arctic is growing due to the country's rich polar tradition and strong research base on oceanography, biodiversity, and climate change impact. There is a clear "gap in Ireland's engagement in the Arctic, and successful stewarding of the Arctic is in Ireland's best interest" (Cronin, 2021). Therefore, two research questions arise. Firstly, given Ireland's experience as a proactive "global actor and bridge builder" (Government of Ireland, 2020) in the international arena, what role could it play, and what can it contribute to the Arctic? Secondly, as the Global Ireland multi-year Strategy to 2025 (Government of Ireland, 2023) comes to an end, should Ireland develop its Arctic regional Strategy? The main strategic Arctic themes for Ireland are ripe for exploration. The political landscape of the Arctic region is rapidly changing and being reimagined (Koivurova et al., 2022). It is, therefore, important to review Ireland's position in this context. This paper serves as an initial step towards a more comprehensive policy analysis of Ireland's role in the Arctic. The main findings of the paper highlight the growing significance of the Arctic region due to climate change and geopolitical dynamics, emphasising Ireland's strategic interest in the area. The paper also underscores the need for Ireland to eliminate the current fragmented approach to Arctic policy and formulate a comprehensive Arctic Strategy to proactively engage with the evolving Arctic political landscape, environmental protection and economic opportunities.

Research paper thumbnail of Book Review: The Proposed Nordic Saami Convention: National and International Dimensions of Indigenous Property Rights, edited by N. Bankes and T. Koivurova

International Journal on Minority and Group Rights , 2014

The Proposed Nordic Saami Convention: National and International Dimensions of Indigenous Propert... more The Proposed Nordic Saami Convention: National and International Dimensions of Indigenous Property Rights is a collection of essays exploring the national and international dimensions of indigenous property rights and the Draft Nordic Saami Convention (Draft Convention). It is essential reading for those interested in indigenous peoples' rights. The book aims at providing a wider context for the developments surrounding the Draft Convention. The Draft Convention is a new international human rights instrument and a form of evolving "social contract"1 between the Saami people and the three Nordic States of Norway, Sweden and Finland. It aims "to confirm and strengthen such rights for the Sami people as to allow the Sami people to safeguard and develop their language, culture, livelihoods and way of life with the least possible interference by national borders" (Article 1). Land and Resource provisions set forth in Chapter IV of the Convention (Articles 34-40) as well as Articles 3, 4, 9, 16 and part V of the Convention are addressed in this volume by different contributors. These provisions of the Draft Convention are the most problematic as there is likely to be resistance by the three governments to adopt them. Part one of the volume is comprised of the articles by Nigel Bankes, Jonnette Watson Hamilton and Jeremy Webber. Nigel Bankes kicks off the discussion on

Research paper thumbnail of Language Rights for Indigenous Peoples: The Case of the Russian Federation

The Yearbook of Polar Law Online, 2013

The Russian Federation is one of the most multinational and heterogeneous countries in the world.... more The Russian Federation is one of the most multinational and heterogeneous countries in the world. There are forty seven officially recognised indigenous peoples, each with their own language. Majority of them are listed as endangered by UNES-CO.1 The situation can be defined as critical and requiring expeditious measures to revive and develop indigenous languages. This paper seeks to assess contemporary legislative and political situations relating to linguistic rights of indigenous peoples in Russia. There has been very little research on the adequacy of protection afforded to the linguistic rights of indigenous peoples in Russia under domestic law. Therefore, it is hoped that this paper will serve as a basis for a much needed academic discussion.

Research paper thumbnail of Arctic governance: An analysis of a treaty-based cooperation hypothesis

Spanish Yearbook of International Law, 2024

This commentary focuses on the method for enhancing cooperation in the Arctic region amidst the c... more This commentary focuses on the method for enhancing cooperation in the Arctic region amidst the challenges posed by global climate change, declining collaboration with Russia, and the growing influence of non-Arctic states such as China. Arctic cooperation can potentially be strengthened by further developing the hypothesis by Timo Koivurova and Akiho Shibata: “Arctic cooperation based on treaties [is] more resilient than that on soft law.” Treaty-based cooperation has the potential to foster productive intergovernmental dialogue and ensure procedural justice for all stakeholders, even in the event of conflict escalation within and beyond the Arctic region. Negotiation and adoption of new treaties in the Arctic appears decidedly remote in the short-term future, given geopolitical tensions and mistrust among Arctic states. Nonetheless, the prioritization of treaty-based cooperation should be considered for the future models of Arctic Governance.