Small states and specialisation : domestic politics, foreign policy, and their interface

Abstract

This contribution focuses on the issue of small states’ foreign policy specialisation. Specialisation helps small states overcome size-related disadvantages by allowing them to concentrate resources. However, small states specialise differently in various topics or regions and have different levels of enthusiasm. I argue that how small state governments make choices around specialisation offers a great segue to studying the international and regional systems, the role of domestic factors in foreign policymaking, and the interplay between the two levels. At the international level, specialisation reveals information about the system’s character. We can study agency, power distribution, and ideas or identities at the domestic level. The interplay between the two levels offers insights into how governments are both restricted and empowered by non-state actors in pursuing foreign policies. Altogether, studying the specialisation of small states allows us to answer significant questions about international relations.