Show them the flag: status ambitions and recognition in small state coalition warfare

TY - JOUR

T1 - Show them the flag

T2 - status ambitions and recognition in small state coalition warfare

AU - Pedersen, Rasmus Brun

AU - Reykers, Yf

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - Why do small states actively contribute to US- and NATO-led military operations? The small state literature has recently developed a novel explanation, referring to their dependency upon the alliance hegemon. The logic is that the small states aim to improve their status and reputation in order to remain relevant and to receive protection. This article contributes to this literature by moving away from this fear of abandonment motivation towards more positive status incitements. It shows how such status motives actually guide and shape small states’ military contributions in US- or NATO-led operations. It does so by using recent innovations in process-tracing methodology to create a status-seeking mechanism. Using the case of Belgium’s participation in the military coalition against ISIL, this article goes beyond the usual Scandinavian suspects in the small state literature and demonstrates that status motivations have relevance for a wider group of small states.

AB - Why do small states actively contribute to US- and NATO-led military operations? The small state literature has recently developed a novel explanation, referring to their dependency upon the alliance hegemon. The logic is that the small states aim to improve their status and reputation in order to remain relevant and to receive protection. This article contributes to this literature by moving away from this fear of abandonment motivation towards more positive status incitements. It shows how such status motives actually guide and shape small states’ military contributions in US- or NATO-led operations. It does so by using recent innovations in process-tracing methodology to create a status-seeking mechanism. Using the case of Belgium’s participation in the military coalition against ISIL, this article goes beyond the usual Scandinavian suspects in the small state literature and demonstrates that status motivations have relevance for a wider group of small states.

KW - Belgium

KW - NATO

KW - Status

KW - United States

KW - process-tracing

KW - realism

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096964635&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/09662839.2019.1678147

DO - 10.1080/09662839.2019.1678147

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0966-2839

VL - 29

SP - 16

EP - 32

JO - European Security

JF - European Security

IS - 1

ER -