Alliance theory and alliance ‘Shelter’: the complexities of small state alliance behaviour

Bailes, Alyson J. K.; Thayer, Bradley A.; Þórhallsson, Baldur

doi:10.1080/23802014.2016.1189806

Cited by 52 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…In such an asymmetric relation, it has traditionally been argued that small states fear defection from the security guarantee, which is why they feel pressured to "over-perform" in such operations. In other words, military participation in coalition warfare has been seen as a means to prove to the hegemon that they are still relevant and "defend worthy" allies (see Kristensen and Larsen 2017, Bailes et al 2016, Snyder 1997, Olson and Zeckhauser 1996, Ringsmose 2010, Oma and Petersson 2019.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Show them the flag: status ambitions and recognition in small state coalition warfare

Pedersen

Reykers

2019

European Security

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Why do small states actively contribute to US-and NATO-led military operations? The small state literature has recently developed a novel explanation, referring to their dependency upon the alliance hegemon. The logic is that the small states aim to improve their status and reputation in order to remain relevant and to receive protection. This article contributes to this literature by moving away from this fear of abandonment motivation towards more positive status incitements. It shows how such status motives actually guide and shape small states' military contributions in USor NATO-led operations. It does so by using recent innovations in process-tracing methodology to create a status-seeking mechanism. Using the case of Belgium's participation in the military coalition against ISIL, this article goes beyond the usual Scandinavian suspects in the small state literature and demonstrates that status motivations have relevance for a wider group of small states. ARTICLE HISTORY

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Show them the flag: status ambitions and recognition in small state coalition warfare

Pedersen

Reykers

2019

European Security

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“…Bailes, Thayer and Thorhallsson criticized traditional alliance theory, offering a new concept of alliance "shelter" designed, as they put it, to better capture the needs of small states and explain their foreign policy behaviour. The authors argue that alliance theory is designed to explain the actions of great powers while the behaviour of small states might be caused by much more complex motivations (Bailes, Thayer and Thorhallsson, 2016).…”

Section: Alliance Shelter Strategymentioning

confidence: 99%

Security Strategies of Small States in a Changing World

Vaicekauskaitė

2017

Journal on Baltic Security

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How are small states adjusting to a changing security environment and managing tensions with greater powers in their neighbourhood? Much of the recent literature on small states spends a great deal of time examining challenges to small states and their security policies. Scholars offer several strategies that small states can employ to adjust to a changing security landscape. Small states have two broad options -to focus on their own defence posture, trying to keep their autonomy and stay neutral, or use different cooperative schemes -bandwagon with larger powers, form alliances against dominant powers, or seek shelter and develop hedging strategies. This article reviews survival strategies employed by small states and provides a basis to better understand the behaviour of small states in today's contested security environment.

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“…seeking the military and/or economic protection of one of the great powers (Bailes, Thayer and Thorhallsson 2016;Fox, 1959;Handel, 1981;Vital, 1967). Smallness is most often equated with the lack of power, and power is typically equated with capabilities (Browning, 2006).…”

Section: Understanding Small State Strategymentioning

confidence: 99%

Vulnerability without capabilities? Small state strategy and the international counter-piracy agenda

Smed

Wivel

2016

European Security

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Today, small European states regularly need to go out of area and out of tried and tested institutional settings to defend their security interests. How do small European states meet this challenge most effectively? This analysis suggests that small states can influence multilateral decisions on international security by combining norm entrepreneurship with lobbying and taking on the role as an 'honest broker'. However, economic capacity, an effective state administration and interests compatible with the agendas of the great powers are key to success. Based on a comprehensive empirical material including 19 elite interviews as well as official documents and other written material, we process trace how one small European state, Denmark, influenced the development of international counterpiracy cooperation and the development of an international counterpiracy strategy for the Gulf of Aden and off the Horn of Africa and discuss which lessons the Danish case may hold for other small states.

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Alliance theory and alliance ‘Shelter’: the complexities of small state alliance behaviour

Cited by 52 publications

References 21 publications

Show them the flag: status ambitions and recognition in small state coalition warfare

Show them the flag: status ambitions and recognition in small state coalition warfare

Security Strategies of Small States in a Changing World

Vulnerability without capabilities? Small state strategy and the international counter-piracy agenda

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