CONTEMPORARY FOREIGN POLICY AND SECURITY PROCESSES OF SMALL STATES: BALANCING AND ALLIANCE IN SHELTER SEEKING

Abstract

Small states seek to exert influence on the international stage beyond their limited individual capacities to conduct foreign policy and ensure their security. Accordingly, small states have a tendency to ally with stronger states or join multilateral alliances to conduct their foreign relations and ensure their security. Small states seek to make the best use of international circumstances and overcome their structural weaknesses in order to survive with their limited resources. This article aims to examine the historical conceptualization and theoretical framework of small states as a part of the development of the discipline of International Relations. This article aims to evaluate the current foreign policy design and security provision tendencies of small states by focusing on theories to balancing and alliance building. This work thus aims to contribute to a better understanding of the dimensions of the presence and policies of small states in the international arena in the current conjuncture by discussing the ‘shelter seeking’ approach in small state studies to contribute to a better understanding of how small states survive by discussing through different small state cases.