The militarization of small state foreign policy: the case of Denmark

What is it about?

Danish post-Cold War security policy is typically portrayed as a transformation from an anti-militaristic and multilateralist member of a Nordic bloc in international relations promoting international solidarity and global peace into an activist proponent of a liberal world order to be defended by military means when necessary. Focusing on Danish peace policy, this article puts forward a contending analysis arguing that what appears as change entails a considerable amount of continuity. Now, as in the past, the Danish contribution to international peace reflects a combination of international demand and the ability and willingness of Danish policy-makers to meet this demand in accordance with their liberal-egalitarian values and pragmatic approach to international relations.

Featured Image

Photo by dx stub on Unsplash

Photo by dx stub on Unsplash

Why is it important?

I explain how the foreign policy of a small state has become militarized over the past decades as a combination of international demand and the willingness and ability of policy-makers to meet this demand. This is relevant for a number of small states in Europe and elsewhere.