New Perspectives on Asymmetrical Relations

Dealings between neighbors dominate the history of civilization, and likely even before the invention of writing and record keeping. In the past two centuries, as the nation state proliferated across the globe and replaced other forms of political actors, nation-to-nation relationships became central. Multilateral relationships became more important after the end of the First World War, and it seemed that bilateral relations would be less significant. However, this has not occurred. Bilateral relations remain at the core of many of the current multilateral fora, whether regional or international organizations. This chapter is an introduction to 13 case studies of asymmetrical relations, some in a bilateral and others in a regional context. The case studies and summary chapter make three distinct contributions to the field of comparative and international politics, and to the study of public policy: (1) an up-to-date review of the complexity of relationships and influences between asymmetric neighboring countries from a global perspective; (2) lessons for smaller states on developing policies that account for, and at times influence, their larger neighbor(s); and (3) new and contrasting perspectives on the regional context of asymmetrical relations.