Introduction

The Canadian Arctic's remoteness and extreme environment have generated fear, speculation, and awe ever since European explorers first set foot in the region. The Arctic’s captivating aura also reaches the media where its symbolic resources can be tied to dominant narratives about global phenomenon. This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book describes when and how Arctic security and sovereignty issues have been portrayed in the Canadian media. It provides the first detailed empirical evidence of media coverage during the 1969 Manhattan and the 1985 Polar Sea crises. The book details media representations of the Prime Minister’s annual Arctic tour, from 2006 to 2014. It focuses on social media to assess whether they change the nature of the discussion on Arctic security and sovereignty issues.