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Neoclassical Realism and Role Theory Revisited -The Comparative Case of. U.S. and Chinese Foreign Policies

Huck, Lena LU (2019) SIMV07 20191
Graduate School
Department of Political Science
Education
Master of Science in Global Studies
Abstract
This thesis explores how structure and national role conceptions (NRC) shape foreign policy behavior. U.S. and Chinese foreign policy behaviors are studied from a system-level and state-level of analysis to investigate how U.S.-Chinese relations are affected by a shifting international structure and roles in the context of rising nationalism under President Xi and Trump. Neoclassical realism and the concept of role theory are applied as the theoretical framework, both are combined into the concept of ‘balance of roles’. Order defender, order challenger, defender of faith, and contributor to peace and security were identified as NRCs. A comparative study is conducted, using Most-Similar-Systems-Design to identify similarities and... (More)
This thesis explores how structure and national role conceptions (NRC) shape foreign policy behavior. U.S. and Chinese foreign policy behaviors are studied from a system-level and state-level of analysis to investigate how U.S.-Chinese relations are affected by a shifting international structure and roles in the context of rising nationalism under President Xi and Trump. Neoclassical realism and the concept of role theory are applied as the theoretical framework, both are combined into the concept of ‘balance of roles’. Order defender, order challenger, defender of faith, and contributor to peace and security were identified as NRCs. A comparative study is conducted, using Most-Similar-Systems-Design to identify similarities and differences between the selected cases. Followed by a qualitative content analysis of key foreign policy documents from the U.S. and China from 2011 to 2019. The thesis concludes that structure shapes foreign policy behavior by providing the limits of how states can act. Conflictual NRCs of order defender and order challenger make the U.S. and China follow a foreign policy of balancing. China pursuing a more offensive realist foreign policy, and the U.S. a defensive foreign policy. The NRC remained stable, thus multipolarity effects foreign policy to the largest extent. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Huck, Lena LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMV07 20191
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
United States, China, Foreign Policy, Role Theory, Neoclassical Realism
language
English
id
8980739
date added to LUP
2019-08-23 13:51:34
date last changed
2019-08-23 13:51:34
@misc{8980739,
  abstract     = {{This thesis explores how structure and national role conceptions (NRC) shape foreign policy behavior. U.S. and Chinese foreign policy behaviors are studied from a system-level and state-level of analysis to investigate how U.S.-Chinese relations are affected by a shifting international structure and roles in the context of rising nationalism under President Xi and Trump. Neoclassical realism and the concept of role theory are applied as the theoretical framework, both are combined into the concept of ‘balance of roles’. Order defender, order challenger, defender of faith, and contributor to peace and security were identified as NRCs. A comparative study is conducted, using Most-Similar-Systems-Design to identify similarities and differences between the selected cases. Followed by a qualitative content analysis of key foreign policy documents from the U.S. and China from 2011 to 2019. The thesis concludes that structure shapes foreign policy behavior by providing the limits of how states can act. Conflictual NRCs of order defender and order challenger make the U.S. and China follow a foreign policy of balancing. China pursuing a more offensive realist foreign policy, and the U.S. a defensive foreign policy. The NRC remained stable, thus multipolarity effects foreign policy to the largest extent.}},
  author       = {{Huck, Lena}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Neoclassical Realism and Role Theory Revisited -The Comparative Case of. U.S. and Chinese Foreign Policies}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}