Living on the edge: Georgian foreign policy between the West and the rest

Wivel, Anders

doi:10.1080/23802014.2016.1194168

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…the threat of violence, to dominate or destroy them.' 17 Consequently, states tend to focus on national security as a primary goal. However, exactly how states pursue national security and other foreign policy goals, and why they choose one ally over another depends on a range of intervening factors.…”

Section: Explaining Super Atlanticism: Choosing Niche Strategies In Tmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Punching above their weight, but why? Explaining Denmark and Estonia in the transatlantic relationship

Wivel¹,

Crandall²

2019

J Transatl Stud

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This article asks why Denmark and Estonia have eagerly attempted to 'punch above their weight' in the transatlantic relationship since the end of the Cold War and shows how they differ in their strategies to do so. Using neoclassical realism as a theoretical point of departure, the article explains how a combination of changing constraints in the strategic environment and elite interpretations of how these changes affected national security resulted in 'super atlanticist' alliance policies in the two countries. Following this analysis, we discuss the future of super atlanticism.

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Section: Explaining Super Atlanticism: Choosing Niche Strategies In Tmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Third, permissiveness of strategic environments is about action space, not security. For instance, the Cold War left small states with relatively restrictive strategic environments, but 17 Grieco [24]. 18 Rose [25].…”

Section: Explaining Super Atlanticism: Choosing Niche Strategies In Tmentioning

confidence: 99%

Punching above their weight, but why? Explaining Denmark and Estonia in the transatlantic relationship

Wivel¹,

Crandall²

2019

J Transatl Stud

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“…This shows that NCR analyzes not only democracies or Western great powers. NCR can contribute to studying great and small powers beyond the West—including postcolonial and authoritarian states (or a combination thereof) (Balci et al, 2018; Becker et al, 2016; Götz, 2017; Gvalia et al, 2019; Wivel, 2016).…”

Section: Global Questions and Casesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Realist avenues to global International Relations

Foulon

Meibauer

2020

European Journal of International Relations

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Realism has long been criticized by global IR, but the former can contribute to the latter and thereby improve explanations of international relations. Global IR criticizes that realism supposedly applies universally, sidelines non-Western perspectives, and misunderstands much of foreign policy, grand strategy, and international affairs. Reviewing global IR’s case against realism, however, exposes avenues for realism to complement global IR. Realism can contribute to a more global understanding of international relations through its most recent variant: neoclassical realism (NCR). This newest realism allows for contextualization and historicization of drivers of state behavior. It can embrace and has already been engaging global questions and cases; global thought and concepts; and global perspectives and scholarship. Mapping 149 NCR publications produced by 96 scholars reveals a slow shift in knowledge production away from North America toward Europe and to a lesser extent Asia and Africa. Creative research designs and scholarly collaboration can put realism in fruitful conversation with global IR. This has implications for theory building and inclusive knowledge production in realism, global IR, and the wider discipline. Only when we discover new avenues for realists to travel can they contribute to a more global IR. In turn, when global IR scholars engage realism, they may be better able to address the Western versus non-Western dichotomies they challenge.

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“…For realists, small states usually react and conform to the pressures of the international system, which originate from the competition between the major players of the system, or they are punished for not doing so. 8 "The strategic options of small states," one scholar writes, "are dependent upon how much action space they are allowed by other states, in particular the great powers, in their close vicinity … By definition, they (small states) suffer from a 'capability deficit'" (Wivel 2016). In short, international politics shape and influence foreign policies of small states rather than the reverse.…”

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confidence: 99%

Neoclassical realism and small states: systemic constraints and domestic filters in Georgia’s foreign policy

Gvalia

Lebanidze

Siroky

2019

East European Politics

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Unlike structural realism, neoclassical realism focuses on how the interaction between systemic and unit-level variables influences foreign policy. This article assesses neoclassical realism against two alternative accountsbalance of threat and economic dependenceto explain change in Georgia's foreign policy. While structural realism highlights how the external security environment shapes general tendencies in foreign policy, specific strategies depend largely on unit-level factors, specifically elite cohesion and state capacity. The analysis of primary sources and exclusive interviews with high-level policy-makers suggests that neoclassical realism affords a more nuanced and precise account of foreign policy change over time than structural realism.

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Living on the edge: Georgian foreign policy between the West and the rest

Abstract: In particular, I would like to thank Stefano Musco, Virginie Grzelczyk, Marie Gibert and two anonymous reviewers for comments on earlier drafts.

Cited by 10 publications

References 35 publications

Punching above their weight, but why? Explaining Denmark and Estonia in the transatlantic relationship

Punching above their weight, but why? Explaining Denmark and Estonia in the transatlantic relationship

Realist avenues to global International Relations

Neoclassical realism and small states: systemic constraints and domestic filters in Georgia’s foreign policy

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