Asymmetric Neighbors and International Relations: Living in the Shadow of Elephants

With a range of case studies from every continent, the contributors to this book analyze the challenges that arise for states living with much larger neighbors, and the policies they develop to account for this asymmetry. Bringing together the perspectives of bilateral relations and the study of small states, this book analyzes a range of scenarios where one or more smaller countries must manage relations with a much larger neighbor or neighbors, from the perspective of the smaller countries. Each case presents different priorities, depending on the relationship between the states concerned, while highlighting the commonalities across the various scenarios. The range of cases and contributors is wide and diverse, with examples including Togo’s relationship with Ghana, Mongolia’s with China, and Colombia’s with Brazil – as well as more widely known examples such as Canada and the United States, or Australia and New Zealand. A valuable resource for scholars and students of international relations, and public policy of small- and medium-sized states.

Table of Contents:
1. New Perspectives on Asymmetrical Relations Thomas R. Klassen, Nara Park and Ian Roberge Part I: Asymmetrical Relations in a Bilateral Context 2.Canada and the United States: A Symbiotic Relationship or Complex Entanglement? Charles Conteh 3. Dealing with Russia: Georgia’s Endeavor to Escape Trampling Salome Minesashvili, Frédéric Labarre, and Pierre Jolicoeur 4. Endless Integration of Russia and its "Difficult Ally" Belarus Leonid Karabeshkin, Frédéric Labarre and Pierre Jolicoeur 5. Legacies of a Trans-Tasman Relationship: The Evolution of Asymmetry between New Zealand and Australia Jennifer Curtin and Dominic O’Sullivan 6. Living in the Shadow of Elephants: The Case of Timor-Leste Nicholas Morris 7. Living Peacefully or In the Shadow? Elucidating the Relationship between Ghana and Togo Frank L.K. Ohemeng and Emmanuel K. Sakyi Part II: Asymmetrical Relations in a Regional Context 8. The Middle Power Diplomacy of South Korea: Four Strategic Choices vis-à-vis Japan and China Nara Park 9. Mongolia’s Balancing Act: Sandwiched between a Bear and a Dragon Undraa Agvaanluvsan 10. Balancing the Elephant and the Dragon: Nepal’s Struggle for Political In(ter)dependence Jawad Hussain Qureshi 11. The Little Red Dot that Roared: Singapore Between Giants Yohanes Sulaiman 12. A Tripartite Dilemma: Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan Relations at the Intersection of Identity and National Interest Merve Özdemirkiran-Embel 13. Stepping out of the Shade: Qatari-Saudi Relations Amid the Rise of Cosmopolitan Qatar Gertjan Hoetjes 14. Colombian Economic Foreign Policy toward Brazil: Limited Cooperation and Competition for Regional Leadership Eduardo Pastrana Buelvas and Diego F. Vera Piñeros Conclusion 15. The Mouse Fights back: The Manoeuvring Room of Smaller States with Respect to Their Larger Neighbor(s) Ian Roberge