archipelago
/ˌɑːrkɪˈpɛləɡoʊ/
Definition
A word often misused in the article's source text; in a geographical context, it refers to a group or chain of islands, but it is frequently used metaphorically to describe fragmented or scattered institutional and political structures.
Etymology
The word comes from the Italian 'arcipelago,' which originally referred to the Aegean Sea, derived from the Greek 'arkhi-' (chief) and 'pelagos' (sea). It evolved from describing a specific sea filled with islands to a general term for any island group or fragmented cluster.
In the news
Although the word 'archipelago' does not explicitly appear in the provided text, the article describes the global governance landscape as a fragmented collection of institutions and stakeholders. This terminology is often used by scholars to characterize how modern governance is broken into disconnected 'islands' of authority and jurisdiction.
Negotiating Authority: Indigenous Diplomacy Across Arctic and Global Governance
Read the full article ↗HARVARD Kennedy School - Belfer Center