The territorial expansion of rising powers

Abstract

This paper is concerned with why rising states choose to skirt international norms and expand their territory. As opposed to explaining territorial expansion as the result a need for material benefits and physical security (Realism); territorial expansion is seen as a practice states that see themselves as a great power will use when their identities are misrecognized. It examines the affects of status recognition on a rising state’s identity in order to ascertain if and when a rising state will expand. Rising powers will attempt to have their identity as a great power recognized by established powers. If that identity is recognized then the rising power is accepted in their great power identity and joins the established powers as the leaders of the international order. If the identity of the rising power is misrecognized then the rising power will feel insecurity and mitigate that insecurity by reaffirming their identity. One of these ways of reaffirming ones identity is territorial expansion. My argument is that a rising power that has a great power identity will expand territorially only after it has been maximally misrecognized by established powers. I examine the relationship between the United States, NATO and Russia from 2000 onward to explore this theory.