Pakistan and Singapore as Small Powers

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 187-204
Author(s):  
Farhan Hanif Siddiqi
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Present Article ◽  
International System ◽  
Great Powers ◽  
Small States ◽  
Theoretical Construct ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Small Powers

Abstract The subject of international relations and its theories are based primarily on what the great powers do. Major ir theories including realism and neorealism have put small states and powers at the very margins of their respective theories arguing that since they do not display any form of power at the national and systemic levels they could as easily be discarded from theoretical and empirical debate and analysis. The present article challenges this theoretical construct and seeks to investigate whether the small powers are innate non-players in the international system and hence ‘vulnerable’ entities or display forms of power vis-à-vis the great powers in which their ‘maneuverability’, influence and independence may be manifest. This is attempted with respect to a comparative analysis of Pakistan and Singapore in which both an endogenously driven explanation taking into account both states’ domestic constitutive features are brought into focus alongside a behaviorally-oriented exogenous explanation bordering on power and security.

Major powers and geopolitical transformations in the Middle East: competing visions for managing international and regional balances

2019 ◽  
pp. 301
Author(s):  
Marwan Awni Kamil
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
International Relations ◽  
International System ◽  
Great Powers ◽  
New Realism ◽  
Major Powers

This study attempts to give a description and analysis derived from the new realism school in the international relations of the visions of the great powers of the geopolitical changes witnessed in the Middle East after 2011 and the corresponding effects at the level of the international system. It also examines the alliances of the major powers in the region and its policies, with a fixed and variable statement to produce a reading that is based on a certain degree of comprehensiveness and objectivity.

scholarly journals Environmental issues and international relations, a new global (dis)order - the role of International Relations in promoting a concerted international system

2015 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joana Castro Pereira
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
International System ◽  
Global Environmental Change ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
The Subject

Is it possible to talk about the rise of a new global (dis)order founded on the challenges posed by environmental issues? Through the review of the state of the art on the subject, this article analyzes the growing importance of the environment, and natural resources in particular, in international relations; and aims to raise awareness among International Relations scholars to the potential positive impact of the development of the discipline in integration with global environmental change studies.

scholarly journals A Energia e seu Controle Histórico: A Questão do Etanol como Recurso Energético Alternativo / The Energy and its Historical Control: The Question of the Ethanol such as Energetic Alternative Resource

2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 436-462
Author(s):  
José Alexandre Altahyde Hage
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
International Relations ◽  
International System ◽  
Great Powers ◽  
Historical Control ◽  
Social Classes ◽  
Energy Resources ◽  
Renewable Fuels ◽  
Power Politics ◽  
Alternative Resource

Este artigo apresenta a análise como a energia foi historicamente controlada pelas classes sociais mais bem posicionadas politicamente e, na atualidade, pelos Estados industrializados. No aspecto conceitual, o artigo adota duas correntes teóricas de relações Internacionais de modo complementar: o marxismo aplicado às relações internacionais e o realismo (política do poder) e seus componentes mais modernos. O objetivo do texto é demonstrar que em algumas épocas as classes dominantes foram aquelas que controlaram recursos energéticos. No campo das relações internacionais há possível analogia ao verificar que grandes potências são os Estados que conseguem cadenciar fluxos de energia. Por fim, o artigo tenciona analisar em que condições países em desenvolvimento, como Brasil, conseguem alterar o sistema internacional por meio dos combustíveis renováveis, como o álcool combustível.  ABSTRACTThis article aims to analyze how energy resources are historically controlled by social classes in the higher political echelons and by industrialized States abroad. As concepts, the article embraces two complementary trends of thoughts: Marxism applied to international relations and Realism (power politics) with its most modern components. The goal of this paper is to show that in some moments, the ruling social classes were the ones over the energy resources. In the international relations sphere, there is a possible analogy in which we attest that the great powers are the States that can regulate the energy resources flow. To conclude, the paper aims to analyze in which conditions developing countries, Brazil, play a part in the international system with renewable fuels, such as ethanol. 

Communism, fascism and counter-revolution in world politics

2001 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 683-686
Author(s):  
Michael Mann
Keyword(s):  
Sixteenth Century ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Karl Marx ◽  
International System ◽  
World Politics ◽  
Great Powers ◽  
Early Nineteenth Century ◽  
Religious Wars ◽  
The Social ◽  
Effects Of War

This is a rich, impressive and timely book. At a time when American and neoliberal triumphalism deny the significance of any revolution later than 1776, and when almost no-one in the social sciences is still studying either revolution or class, Fred Halliday has demonstrated that we have been living in a revolutionary age, dominated by the conjoined effects of war and class revolution. In case you find his sub-title mysterious, Karl Marx noted that the Europe of his time was dominated by five Great Powers, but Revolution, ‘the sixth Great Power’, would soon overcome them all. Halliday would suggest that Marx was only half-right. Revolution did not overcome all five Powers, but it did transform them all—and their successors. Hannah Arendt and Martin Wight also emphasized that couplings of war and revolution have dominated much of modernity. But Halliday adds that these are not to be seen as ‘disruptions’ of International Relations, they are International Relations, since they have set the overall parameters of the modern international system. They did so, he says, in three distinct revolutionary phases from the sixteenth century to the present-day: sixteenth-seventeenth century religious wars/revolutions, late eighteenth and early nineteenth century Atlanticist wars/revolutions, and twentieth century wars/revolutions which became increasingly dominated by communism.

scholarly journals The economic growth of small states and small economies in regional economic organizations and integrations: similarities and differences

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 261-284
Author(s):  
Petar Kurečić ◽  
Đana Luša
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Small States ◽  
Regional Economic ◽  
Small Economies ◽  
Economic Organizations ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Similarities And Differences

The authors examine the effect of membership of small states in regional economic organizations and integrations on the growth of GDP. The aim is to use cost-benefi t analysis to answer the question of whether small states, and also small economies, achieve greater economic growth through regional economic organizations and integrations than those small states that are not small economies. Small states, as the subjects of research work, have beenchosen precisely because of their size, here defi ned by quantitative criteria, but taking into account that relational criteria are very important for their positioning in international relations, such as greater exposure to external infl uences and their dependence on membership in regional economic organizations and integrations. The GDP of small states, in an attempt to answer the hypothesis, was followed for a period of twenty years. Characteristics thatdepend on regional affi liation of small states, as well as the similarities and differences between small states which are members of the same regional economic organizations/integrations, were also the subject of this paper.

scholarly journals From the ‘Small but Smart State’ to the ‘Small and Entrepreneurial State’: Introducing a Framework for Effective Small State Strategies within the EU and Beyond

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Revecca Pedi ◽  
Katerina Sarri
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
International System ◽  
Small States ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Small State ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
State Strategy ◽  
Entrepreneurial Action ◽  
Comprehensive Framework

AbstractAs the current international system is leaning towards multipolarity, small states face the danger of their influence being diminished and their interests being ignored. Small states in Europe and within the European Union might find themselves in such a predicament. In order to overcome it, they are in need of effective strategies. Literature on the international relations of small states suggests that, despite their limitations, small states are able to pursue their goals and succeed in the international system. Small state studies employ the ‘small but smart state’ concept for a small state that can maximize its influence. Despite being widely used, the latter lacks analytical value and remains a cliché. The objective of this article is to pin down the ‘small but smart’ state strategy and based on that to provide a comprehensive framework for the analysis and the design of effective small state strategies. We suggest that the ‘small but smart’ state strategy shares many elements with the entrepreneurial action, as the latter is extended from its business origins to include a specific strategy. We draw on the field of entrepreneurship to explore the ways it can enhance our understanding of the international relations of small states and we introduce a framework for the ‘small and entrepreneurial state’ strategy. The notion of the ‘small and entrepreneurial state’ adds more depth and rigor into our small state analyses as well as reinvigorates a fragmented and repetitive literature. Last but not least, our ‘small and entrepreneurial state’ approach can be of use for both small state scholars and policy makers.

Small States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yee-Kuang Heng
Keyword(s):  
Soft Power ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
International System ◽  
Great Powers ◽  
Small States ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Small State ◽  
Military Conflict ◽  
Strategic Competition ◽  
Endogenous Variables

Scholarship in international studies has usually tended to focus on the great powers. Yet, studying small state behavior can in fact reveal deep-seated structural changes in the international system and provide significant insights into the management of power asymmetries. Overcoming the methodological limitations of gigantism in scholarship and case study selection is another epistemological benefit. Rather than conventional assumptions of weaknesses and vulnerabilities, research on small states has moved in fascinating directions toward exploring the various strategies and power capabilities that small states must use to manage their relationships with great powers. This means, even in some cases, attempts to forcibly shape their external environments through military instruments not usually associated with the category of small states. Clearly, small states are not necessarily hapless or passive. Even in terms of power capabilities that often define their weaknesses, some small states have in fact adroitly deployed niche hard power military capabilities and soft power assets as part of their playbook. These small states have projected influence in ways that belie their size constraints. Shared philosophies and mutual learning processes tend to underpin small state strategies seeking to maximize whatever influence and power they have. These include forming coalitions, principled support for international institutions, and harnessing globalization to promote their development and security interests. As globalization has supercharged the rapid economic development of some small states, the vicissitudes that come with interdependence have also injected a new understanding of vulnerability beyond that of simply military conflict. To further complicate the security environment, strategic competition between the major powers inevitably impacts on small states. How small states boost their “relevance” vis-à-vis the great powers has broader implications for questions that have animated the academy, such as power transitions and the Thucydides Trap in the international system. While exogenous systemic variables no doubt remain the focus of analysis, emerging research shows how endogenous variables such as elite perceptions, geostrategic locations and availability of military and economic resources can play a key role determining the choices small states make.

scholarly journals The Munich Crisis and Collapse of the Versailles System on the Eve of World War II

1970 ◽  
pp. 20-31
Author(s):  
V. Pavlenko
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
International Relations ◽  
International System ◽  
Great Powers ◽  
European Politics ◽  
World War ◽  
The World ◽  
Balance Of Forces ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Western Democracies

The article examines the development of the crisis manifestations of the Versailles system on the eve of World War II. Special attention is paid to how and under what circumstances the preparation and signing of the Munich Agreement took place. It is noted that the emergence of Nazi Germany’s European politics at the forefront undoubtedly stimulated a whole range of interstate contradictions. This led to a decrease in the stability of the Versailles system. The manifestations of the reaction of the great powers to the aggressive policy of Berlin are analyzed and attention is focused on the fact that the policy of appeasement was erroneous and led to the aggravation of the Versailles system crisis in the late 30s XX century. This study emphasizes that as a result of the policy of appeasement, the balance of forces on the continent changes dramatically, and the signing of the Munich Agreement in September 1938 was decisive in the development of the Versailles system crisis and determined the beginning of the collapse of this model of international relations. It was stated that the Western democracies did not understand the essence of dictatorial regimes, and such a misunderstanding led not only to the collapse of the international system, but also to the beginning of the World War II

Hierarchical Regional Systems and the Politics of System Boundaries

1972 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Zimmerman
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Management ◽  
International System ◽  
Great Power ◽  
Small States ◽  
Trade Patterns ◽  
Regional Systems ◽  
Regional System ◽  
System 1 ◽  
Small Powers ◽  
Behavioral Criteria

A hierarchical regional system may be defined as a regional international system composed of a single Great Power and a number of relatively small states. This article attempts to clarify the conditions under which member states of a hierarchical regional system, including both the great-power regional hegemon and the relatively small powers, seek to influence the salience that boundaries have for such a system. Scholars and policymakers alike may use several criteria in defining the boundaries of a regional system: 1) A system may be delimited geographically; 2) marked discontinuities in transactional interchanges (language, trade patterns, communication flows) may serve to set it off from the general international system as may common membership in formal international organizations; 3) boundaries may similarly be established by emphasizing behavioral criteria, i.e., by identifying norms especially pertaining to conflict management and resolution which are specific to a group of states. Unless otherwise specified, I employ the last definition throughout this article.

scholarly journals O Refúgio em Debate: perspectivas sobre a inserção do tema nas Relações Internacionais | The Refuge in Debate: perspectives on the insertion of the subject in the International Relations

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. e39056
Author(s):  
Rachel Silva da Rocha Coutinho ◽  
Raquel Araújo De Jesus
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
International Relations ◽  
International System ◽  
The Political ◽  
World War ◽  
Political Arena ◽  
The World ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Individual

Em todo o mundo, pessoas foram e são forçadas a migrar pelos mais diversos motivos. No entanto, a questão do refúgio adquiriu importância no cenário político internacional apenas com o fim da II Guerra Mundial. No âmbito das Relações Internacionais (RI), os debates que vêm sendo conduzidos sobre a temática, embora apresentem abordagens distintas, possuem como pano de fundo uma mesma pergunta: qual é o lugar do indivíduo na arquitetura do sistema internacional? Argumenta-se que a resposta a esse questionamento implica não apenas nas “soluções” políticas conferidas ao “problema” do refúgio, mas também ao tipo de engajamento teórico empregado em sua discussão. Neste sentido, o texto aborda a inserção do refúgio nas RI por meio de quatro chaves interpretativas: segurança/proteção, emergência, fronteira e mobilidade. Longe de um esgotamento do tema, o objetivo é apresentar um panorama dos debates sobre refúgio nas RI, possibilitando ao leitor perspectivas variadas acerca do tema.Palavras-chave: Refúgio; Relações Internacionais; Debate.ABSTRACTThroughout the world, people have been and are forced to migrate for a variety of reasons. However, the issue of refuge became important in the political arena only in the end of World War II. In the realm of International Relations (IR), The debates that have been conducted on the subject, although presenting different approaches, have the same question in the background: what is the place of the individual in the architecture of the international system? It is argued that the answer to this question implies not only the political “solutions” given to the “problem” of the refuge, but also the type of theoretical engagement employed in its discussion. In this sense, the text addresses the insertion of refuge in IR through four interpretative keys: security / protection, emergency, border and mobility. Far from an exhaustion of the theme, the objective is to present an overview of the debates about refuge in IR, providing the reader varied perspectives on the theme.Keywords: Refuge; International Relations; Debate. Recebido em 10 jan.2019 | Aceito em 17 set.2019

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