Short description:

This book examines how two middle powers, Australia and Canada, are grappling with the difficult process of relocating themselves in the rapidly changing international economy.

Long description:

The fall of the Berlin Wall and the disintegration of the Soviet Union
were only two of the many events that profoundly altered the
international political system in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In a
world no longer dominated by Cold War tensions, nation states have had
to rethink their international roles and focus on economic rather than
military concerns. This book examines how two middle powers, Australia
and Canada, are grappling with the difficult process of relocating
themselves in the rapidly changing international economy. The authors
argue that the concept of middle power has continuing relevance in
contemporary international relations theory, and they present a number
of case studies to illustrate the changing nature of middle power
behaviour.



A welcome addition to the literature on the comparative study of Canadian and Australian foreign policy, this book also serves as a timely counter to the wave of literature exploring the "new world order" role of the United States; it reminds us that other players are present and can shape events.

Table of Contents:

Preface and Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

Introduction

1. Leadership, Followership, and Middle Powers in International
Politics: A Reappraisal

2. Changing with the International Agenda: State Reorganization and
Middle Power Diplomacy

3. The Multilateral Economic Agenda: The Cairns Group and the
Uruguay Round

4. The Regional Economic Agenda: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
and North American Free Trade

5. The Security Agenda: Coalition-building and the Gulf Conflict

6. Addressing the Widening Global Agenda: Australian and Canadian
Perspectives Conclusion

Notes

References

Index