«Державы среднего уровня» в международных отношениях: сравнительный анализ концептуальных подходов

Abstract

Throughout the past decades the international relations studies were mostly dedicated to the analysis of the superpower’s and great power’s role in the world order. Less powerful states, namely small and middle powers, were widely considered as objects that are not able to have an impact on the international political processes. Nevertheless, with the collapse of the bipolar system, new approaches have emerged and were applied to the analysis of the existing balance of power in the international relations. One of them is widely known as the concept of middle powers. The conceptual understanding of middle power’s foreign policy behavior has become signifi cantly more complicated in comparison with the bipolar period. On the other hand, there is still no clear defi nition of the term ‘middle power’. In light of this lack of a clear defi nition, various authors use different methods to identify middle powers. Researchers usually defi ne middle powers based on such criteria as large population, natural recourses, economic strength, military force, political stability, its formal recognition by other actors in international relations as a signifi cant international actor, and its active involvement in solving regional and international issues. The aim of this article is to review the concept of middle powers, its historical perspective and key theoretical approaches namely positional, behavioral and constructivist. Based on the analysis of these three approaches the article argues that a holistic understanding of the middle power concept is possible only based on a comprehensive approach. The article also addresses historic periods of concept’s development and provides a distinction between emerging and traditional middle powers. The concept of middle powers and its popularity indicates the gradual formation of a new world order where the international momentum is determined not only by great powers but also by not less powerful small and middle powers.