This volume argues that middle powers are important to 21st Century world politics in performing roles as (aspiring) global middle powers, regional pivots, and niche leaders. This claim is based on an analysis of the foreign policies of nine (aspiring) middle powers from the Near East, East Asia, and Europe.

• Cover
• Middle Powers in Asia and Europe in the 21st Century
• Series page
• Middle Powers in Asia and Europe in the 21st Century
• Copyright
• Contents
• List of Figures and Tables
• Introduction
• Part I: Theory—Hard and Soft Power in the Twenty-First Century
  • Chapter 1
  • Maritime Power as the Quintessential Source of Middle Power Status
    • About Middle Powers
    • Methodology
    • About Sea Power
    • The Navy Importance Index
    • Results Analysis
    • Conclusions
    • Notes
    • References
  • Chapter 2
  • “Peaceful Nature,” Norwegians Believe It, But Do Others Too?
    • The Emergence of National Role Conceptions
    • The Role of NRCs in Acquiring Soft Power
    • Methodology
    • The Environmental Cleavage: Does It Exist?
    • Peaceful Nature
    • Norway: The Whaling State
    • Conclusion
    • Note
    • References
• Part II: Playing with the Big Guys—(Aspiring) Global Middle Powers
  • Chapter 3
  • Aspiring and Reluctant Middle Powers?
    • The Common Legacies of German and Italian Defense Policies
    • Divergent Paths: A Summary
    • Military Reforms in the 1990s
    • Defense Policy Change in the New Century
    • Ways Ahead
    • Notes
    • References
  • Chapter 4
  • Germany and Japan
    • Basel Negotiation: Contexts, Preferences, and Compromises
    • The Impact of Political and Regulatory Dynamics
    • Analysis and Conclusion: Germany and Japan in the Basel Negotiations
    • Notes
    • References
  • Chapter 5
  • South Korea’s Role as an Emerging Middle Power among Security Concerns
    • Challenges and Limits to the Role of Middle Powers
    • South Korea’s Foreign Policy after the Cold War: Preconditions for Global Aspirations
    • After the 1997 Crisis, the ASEAN+3 (APT) Forum: The Ten ASEAN Countries Plus
    • South Korea’s Self-Perception as a Rising Middle Power: The “Global Korea” Strategy
    • Challenges to South Korea’s Role as a Middle Power
    • Conclusion
    • References
• Part III: “It Is Better to Be a Big Fish in a Small Pond”—Regional Powers
  • Chapter 6
  • From Regionalism to Realpolitik
    • Turkey and the Middle East before the Arab Spring: Proactive Regionalism
    • Turkey and the Middle East after the Arab Spring: The Primacy of Power Politics
    • Turkey as a Middle Power in the Middle East: The Challenge of Middle Power Politics
    • Conclusion
    • Notes
    • References
  • Chapter 7
  • Iran from Revolutionary to Behavioral Middle Power
    • Iran’s Foreign Policy: Idealist and Realist Discourses
    • Reaching an Agreement
    • Iran and the Middle East
    • Iran and Russia
    • Iran and the United States
    • Iran and the EU
    • Conclusion
    • Note
    • References
• Part IV: Normative Leadership—Niche Powers
  • Chapter 8
  • “The Bigger of the Smaller States”
    • The Geopolitical Chess Board (1585–1945)
    • Theory: From Role conception to Nation Branding
    • Foreign Policy I: The Cold War—In Search of a New Role (1945–1989)
    • After the Cold War: A Middle Power Seeking Leading Roles in Niches?
    • Conclusion
    • Note
    • References
  • Chapter 9
  • Sweden
    • Small State or Middle Power?
    • Ideational Power: Smart State, Moral Superpower, or Norm Entrepreneur?
    • Idea-Based Swedish Foreign Policy: Three Cases
    • Core Swedish Foreign and Security Policies: Continuity or Change?
    • Core Values in Swedish Foreign Policy?
    • Conclusion
    • References
  • Conclusion
  • Index
  • About the Contributors