Dr. Baldur Thorhallsson

The Pirate Party announced on 16 October 2016 that the party would not participate in post-election negotiations to form a coalition government with either the Progressive Party or Independence Party. The party also sent letters to Viðreisn, Bright Future, Social Democratic Alliance and Left-Green Movement about the possibility of forming an alliance prior to the election. This is new in Icelandic politics. The Pirate Party is sending a message that it will undertake major reforms and that it is prepared to change the ways in which Icelandic politics have been traditionally conducted.

Panel at the University of Iceland about the Reykjavík Summit: Össur Skarphéðinsson, Baldur Thorhallsson, Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir, Sigríður Snævarr og Albert Jónsson. The Reykjavík Summit would have wide-ranging long-term consequences for Iceland and the world as a whole. See also interview on X-ið.

Guðný Gústafsdóttir defended her PhD thesis, Mediated through the Mainstream: Image(s) of Femininity and Citizenship in Contemporary Iceland 1980–2000, on 23 September. Her opponents were Dr. Karen Ross, Professor of Gender and Media, Newcastle University, and Dr. Guðný Guðbjörnsdóttir, professor of Education, School of Education, University of Iceland. Her advisor was Þorgerður Einarsdóttir, professor, Faculty of Political Science, University of Iceland. The doctoral committee was comprised of Doctoral Committee Þorgerður Einarsdóttir, professor, Faculty of Political Science, University of Iceland, dr. Helga Kristín Hallgrímsdóttir, Associate professor, University of Victoria, and dr. Sigríður Matthíasdóttir, historian at the Reykjavík Academy.

Sigurður Ingi Jóhannesson is the new chairperson of the Progressive Party, replacing Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson. This is likely to enhance the prospects of the Progressive Party in the upcoming parliamentary election, but it is crucial for the party to settle internal disputes (see Morgunnblaðið and DV).

New paper on small states: "Alliance theory and alliance ‘Shelter’: the complexities of small state alliance behaviour". Alyson J.K. Bailes, Brad Thayer and I argue that small states need political, economic and societal shelter provided by large states and international organizations. We look at the cases of Armenia, Cuba, and Singapore. You can find the paper online. Several other papers on small states are to be found in the inaugural issue of Third World Thematics.

The return of Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson to Icelandic politics has put the Progressive Party in tumult. Gunnlaugsson has made a claim for the leadership in the Progressive Party but faces resistance within the party. It is clear that Gunnlaugsson is a divisive figure within his own party, with factions both opposing and supporting him. It will be interesting to see how this power struggle resolves.

Fun lecture and historical walk in the farm of Ægissíða where twelve manmade caves are to be found: Icelanders’ Celtic roots: Did Celts settle in the South of Iceland before the Nordic Settlement? Here are a few pictures from the historical walk (from 13 August):

The annual Small States Pub Quiz was held yesterday with great success. Many students in the Small States Studies Diploma program at the University of Iceland participated, along with students taking small states courses as BA-students in Political Science or MA-students in International Affairs.

The findings of several articles on Shelter Theory and its application to Iceland were brought together in one large presentation held at a great, interesting conference at NUPI on 8 September: Iceland’s External Shelter from the Settlement to the 21st century: A challenge to the traditional historical narrative of Iceland’s foreign relations.

Lecture at Queen Mary University, London on one of the dominant factors explaining Iceland's non-membership of the European Union, namely the reluctance of Iceland's dominant party, the Independence Party, to engage in the European project. The lecture went by the name "Iceland: Dominant Party in Thrall to its Past Discourse". Always a pleasure to visit QMUL!