Middle Powers in Asia and Europe in the 21st Century

Edited by Giampiero Giacomello and Bertjan Verbeek - Contributions by Fabrizio Coticchia; Federica de Pantz; Boaz de Rooij; Johan Eriksson; Eyüp Ersoy; Davide Ghermandi; Giampiero Giacomello; Aylin Gürzel; Sara Konoe; Marco Milani; Francesco N. Moro; Neda

This volume presents three claims regarding the role of middle powers in the 21st Century: first, states aspiring to become or remain middle powers choose from three possible role: to be a global middle powers; to be a regional pivot; or to be a niche leader. Second, states seeking such roles need different mixes of hard and soft power sources. Third, more so than great or small powers, middle powers walk a thin line between the domestic and systemic pressures they face. In this volume, these claims are based on (comparative) case studies of Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Sweden, and Turkey.

Introduction: Middle Powers as the Ugly Duckling of International Relations Theory - Giampiero Giacomello and Bertjan Verbeek Chapter 1: Maritime Power as the Quintessential Source of Middle Power StatusDavide Ghermandi Chapter 2: 'Peaceful nature,' Norwegians Believe It, But Do Others Too? The Effects of National Role Conceptions on Public Diplomacy and Nation BrandingBoaz de Rooij Chapter 3: Aspiring and Reluctant Middle Powers? Italy's and Germany's Defense Reforms after the Cold WarFabrizio Coticchia and Francesco Moro Chapter 4: Germany and Japan: Great or Middle Powers in Global Banking Regulation? - Sara Konoe Chapter 5: South Korea's Role as an Emerging Middle Power amongst Security ConcernsMarco Milani and Federica de Pantz Chapter 6: From Regionalism to Realpolitik: The Rise and Fall of Turkey as a Middle Power in the Middle EastAylin Gürzel and Eyüp Ersoy Chapter 7: Iran from Revolutionary to Behavioral Middle Power. Understanding the Effects of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of ActionNeda Shahnoori Chapter 8:'The Bigger of the Smaller States' - Dutch Foreign Policy in Constant Search of a Relevant Role on the World StageBertjan Verbeek Chapter 9: Sweden: Small State, Middle Power, or Moral Superpower?Johan Eriksson ConclusionGiampiero Giacomello and Bertjan Verbeek