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Category: News

Åland Islands Peace institute proposes regular review of whether the autonomy is sufficient and meaningful

In its consultation response on the new Autonomy Act for Åland (OM 2026:22), Ålands fredsinstitut proposes that an independent body should regularly review the overall scope of action of the autonomy system—every 4–6 years—and report to both the Finnish Parliament (Riksdagen) and the Åland Parliament (Lagtinget). This is prompted by a risk the Institute identifies in the report: that the system is characterised by sectoral thinking rather than a holistic view, so that the scope of action of autonomy is never assessed in its entirety concerning its underlying purposes. The response is not primarily grounded in a legal-technical analysis, but in research on autonomy arrangements and power-sharing, together with the Institute’s long-standing experience of the international dimension of the Åland question. The Institute notes that the report strengthens the connection to the foundations of the autonomy in several respects. This is clearest in the new Section 3, which for the first time establishes Åland’s demilitarised and neutralised status directly in the Autonomy Act—a declaratory but principally important provision. The report also contains symbolically significant name changes (“lagtingslag” instead of “landskapslag”, “Government of Åland” instead of “Åland Provincial Government”). It systematises provisions on the Åland Delegation, forms of cooperation, competence disputes,

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Elisabeth Alber joins us as Peace Fellow in autumn 2026

We are delighted to announce that Elisabeth Alber will join us this autumn as our new Peace Fellow. Elisabeth brings extensive international experience and a strong commitment to research on federalism, democracy and participatory governance. At the Eurac Research Institute for Comparative Federalism, Elisabeth leads the research group Participation and Innovations and the Eurac Research Federal Scholar programme. Her work spans democratic and institutional innovation, minority and autonomy studies, deliberative constitutionalism, and democratic regression. Elisabeth also holds several external academic positions, including at the Universities of Innsbruck and RWTH Aachen, the Centre for Deliberative Democracy at the University of Canberra, and the Centre for Multilevel Federalism in New Delhi. She chairs the Scientific Committee of the Alexander Langer Foundation and serves on multiple scientific committees and networks, such as the Permanent Citizens’ Dialogue (Ostbelgien Model) and the Global Autonomy Network Group. In addition, Elisabeth has over fifteen years of experience as an international consultant, having worked in Pakistan, Myanmar, Ukraine, Moldova and Jordan. We look forward to welcoming Elisabeth to Åland this autumn.

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We are seeking a new colleague to join our team

Do you want to work at the intersection between research and practice with us at the Åland Island Peace Institutet? We are seeking a driven and self-reliant colleague who wants to contribute to developing our activities, with a focus on knowledge development and communicating knowledge in various formats. Read more and apply here

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A new issue of our e‑journal JASS is out now!

Militarisation is gaining momentum in many areas today – both territorial and systemic. The Arctic, NATO’s strengthening, and national military upgrades are just a few examples. For a demilitarised region like the Åland Islands, developments in neighbouring areas naturally raise important questions about how demilitarisation is affected. This issue of the Journal of Autonomy and Security Studies (JASS) also turns to another partly demilitarised sphere: Outer Space. While it may seem like a separate world, developments in Space reflect what happens on Earth – and vice versa. Technological and political dynamics shape each other in ways that influence global relations. The issue consists of research notes and is the result of a generous and productive collaboration between JASS and the Finnish chapter of Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, as described by Dr Katariina Simonen in her Introduction. We hope this issue offers our readers an exciting new perspective on the realities of demilitarisation: https://jass.journal.fi

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Podcast episode with castle speaker Marie Jacobsson

We are pleased to release a new episode of our podcast, featuring one of this year’s castle speakers: Dr. Marie Jacobsson, former Ambassador and Principal Legal Adviser on International Law at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and one of Sweden’s most experienced experts in international peace and security. Marie Jacobsson has an extensive background in both multilateral and bilateral negotiations. Her expertise spans UN Charter law, international humanitarian law, the law of the sea and maritime security, maritime delimitation, and regional security. She is an Associate Professor of International Law at Lund University and was appointed Honorary Doctor at the UN’s World Maritime University in Malmö in 2025, a distinction that further highlights her deep relevance to today’s maritime and security challenges. In this conversation ahead of the Kastelholm Talks 2026, Marie reflects on her professional background, the issues she considers most pressing in the current international landscape, and the perspectives she brings to this year’s discussions. The episode also touches on the 2026 theme, “The Sea as an Arena for Cooperation and Conflict”, exploring how the world’s oceans have become an increasingly central stage for geopolitical dynamics. Listen to the episode for an insightful introduction to one of

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Emil Edenborg to the library!

We are happy to announce that Emil Edenborg will join the discussion at the library! Emil Edenborg is a political scientist and gender studies researcher at Stockholm University and Södertörn University, and an associated researcher at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. His research addresses issues such as security, geopolitics, and identity, with a focus on Russia and the Nordic region. He is part of an ongoing research project examining perceptions of military build-up on the islands of the Baltic Sea in the wake of Russia’s war in Ukraine and the NATO accessions of Finland and Sweden. The roundtable discussions at the library will begin at 17.00 the 19th of March. The event is free and open to all! The discussion is in Swedish. We would also like to remind you that there are still a few places remaining for the Talks at the castle. Please secure your place now here!

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