Abstract:

Political space and authority construction are key dimensions in analysing fluctuations in the effectiveness of international regimes. Global power structure and the nature of governance issues jointly shape the external political space of the international regime. Coercive force and legitimacy are the core endogenous variables in the construction of regime authority. Based on a diachronic review and analtsis the effectiveness of the Arctic Council has undergone three phases: institutional inception, development and consolidation, and turbulence and adjustment. The establishment of the Arctic Council was facilitated by a shift in the international power landscape, the relaxation of regional rivalries, and the emergence of new cooperative norms. By leveraging a relatively stable political space, the Council has enhanced its legitimacy and coercive capacity, thereby consolidating its institutional authority and gradually establishing itself as the most influential international institution in the Arctic region. With the escalation of confrontation between the US-led West and Russia preventing it from fully playing its roles as a multilateral governance platform and severely restricted its effectiveness. In the short term, the Arctic Council continues to face difficulties in enhancing its effectiveness. Key underlying causes include the distortion of the external political space necessary for the regime's operation, new challenges arising from the growing complexity and diversification of regional governance issues, a decline of acceptance and compliance of Arctic states, and the inherent limitations of the Council.

Key words: international regime, institutional effectiveness, political space, institutional authority, Arctic Council

摘要：

政治空间与权威建构是分析国际制度有效性的关键维度。权力格局和治理议题的属性共同塑造了国际制度生存与发展的外部政治空间，强制力与合法性则是国际制度权威建构的核心内生变量。北极理事会的有效性演变经历了制度初创、发展完善、动荡调整三个阶段。国际权力格局变迁、地区博弈缓和以及新兴合作理念的形成，为北极理事会的建立提供了有利的外部环境。北极理事会依托缓和的政治空间提升合法性与强制力，进而巩固制度权威，并逐步成为北极地区最具影响力的国际制度。随着西方与俄罗斯之间博弈的加剧，北极理事会的政治空间遭受挤压，制度权威受到破坏，致使其无法充分发挥多边治理平台的作用，其有效性遭到严重制约。短期内，北极理事会有效性提升仍然面临困境。地缘政治变动扭曲了制度运行所需的外部政治空间，地区治理议题的复杂化与多样化带来的新挑战、北极圈内国家的认同与遵从程度下降以及制度自身的固有局限是上述困境的重要根源。

关键词: 国际制度, 制度有效性, 政治空间, 权威建构, 北极理事会