Small islands in international relations scholarship: A dialectic centrality

dialnet-ar-18-ART0001572489

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OASIS: Observatorio de Análisis de los Sistemas Internacionales, ISSN 1657-7558, Nº. 37, 2023 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Enero-Junio), pags. 7-24

English

International relations
small sovereign countries
islands
sovereignty
autonomy
relaciones internacionales
pequeños países soberanos
islas
soberanía
autonomía

International relations
small sovereign countries
islands
sovereignty
autonomy
relaciones internacionales
pequeños países soberanos
islas
soberanía
autonomía
Wright, Nancy E.
Small islands in international relations scholarship: A dialectic centrality

In the field of international relations (IR), islands are rarely considered, except in specific contexts which seldom involve dimensions conventionally considered important. Most islands, whether sovereign, semi-autonomous, or completely non-self-governing, are relegated to the margins of IR scholars. This article challenges the validity of this marginalization by presenting and examining both sovereign and non-sovereign autonomous islands as international actors. These examples illustrate the great paradox of islands, namely that throughout history, islands have functioned as pivotal points rather than as afterthoughts, and, because of that central role, islands embody syntheses of culture and politics that constitute new identities, and in some cases unique capabilities. A key example is artificial islands, which illustrate a further overlooked complexity by exerting autonomy free of sovereignty. Finally, islands, especially small island countries, both reinforce and challenge standard IR theories by being at once both self-contained and by necessity integrated globally. All of these characteristics constitute a dialectic centrality, in which islands, self-contained yet marginalized, play a central role in international relations. This article brings these islands collectively to the forefront, with a view to illustrating their currently underestimated importance in the discipline of IR as global actors. This article brings these islands collectively to the forefront, with a view to illustrating their currently underestimated importance in the discipline of IR as global actors.

Article

Wright, Nancy E.

Wright, Nancy E.

Wright, Nancy E.

Small islands in international relations scholarship: A dialectic centrality

Small islands in international relations scholarship: A dialectic centrality

Small islands in international relations scholarship: A dialectic centrality

Small islands in international relations scholarship: A dialectic centrality

Small islands in international relations scholarship: A dialectic centrality

small islands in international relations scholarship: a dialectic centrality

2023

https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/oaiart?codigo=8761592

1756226003086082048

dialnet-ar-18-ART00015724892023-01-26Small islands in international relations scholarship: A dialectic centralityWright, Nancy E.International relationssmall sovereign countriesislandssovereigntyautonomyrelaciones internacionalespequeños países soberanosislassoberaníaautonomíaIn the field of international relations (IR), islands are rarely considered, except in specific contexts which seldom involve dimensions conventionally considered important. Most islands, whether sovereign, semi-autonomous, or completely non-self-governing, are relegated to the margins of IR scholars. This article challenges the validity of this marginalization by presenting and examining both sovereign and non-sovereign autonomous islands as international actors. These examples illustrate the great paradox of islands, namely that throughout history, islands have functioned as pivotal points rather than as afterthoughts, and, because of that central role, islands embody syntheses of culture and politics that constitute new identities, and in some cases unique capabilities. A key example is artificial islands, which illustrate a further overlooked complexity by exerting autonomy free of sovereignty. Finally, islands, especially small island countries, both reinforce and challenge standard IR theories by being at once both self-contained and by necessity integrated globally. All of these characteristics constitute a dialectic centrality, in which islands, self-contained yet marginalized, play a central role in international relations. This article brings these islands collectively to the forefront, with a view to illustrating their currently underestimated importance in the discipline of IR as global actors. This article brings these islands collectively to the forefront, with a view to illustrating their currently underestimated importance in the discipline of IR as global actors.En la erudición de las relaciones internacionales (RI), las islas rara vez se consideran, excepto en contextos específicos, y esos contextos rara vez involucran dimensiones que convencionalmente se consideran importantes. La mayoría de las islas, ya sean soberanas, semiautónomas o completamente no autónomas, están relegadas a los márgenes de la erudición de las RI. Este artículo desafía la validez de esta marginación al presentar y examinar islas autónomas tanto soberanas como no soberanas como actores internacionales. Estos ejemplos ilustran la gran paradoja de las islas, a saber, que a lo largo de la historia estas han funcionado como puntos centrales en lugar de ideas secundarias y, debido a ese papel central, las islas encarnan la síntesis de la cultura y la política que constituyen nuevas identidades. Las islas artificiales aportan una mayor complejidad pasada por alto al ejercer una autonomía libre de soberanía. Finalmente, las islas, especialmente los países insulares pequeños, refuerzan y desafían las teorías estándar de relaciones internacionales al ser a la vez autónomos y por necesidad integrados en la globalización. Todas estas características constituyen una centralidad dialéctica, en la que las islas, autosuficientes pero marginadas, juegan un papel central en las relaciones internacionales. Este artículo trae estos territorios colectivamente al frente, con el fin de ilustrar su importancia actualmente subestimada en la disciplina de RI como actores globales.2023text (article)application/pdfhttps://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/oaiart?codigo=8761592(Revista) ISSN 1657-7558OASIS: Observatorio de Análisis de los Sistemas Internacionales, ISSN 1657-7558, Nº. 37, 2023 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Enero-Junio), pags. 7-24engLICENCIA DE USO: Los documentos a texto completo incluidos en Dialnet son de acceso libre y propiedad de sus autores y/o editores. Por tanto, cualquier acto de reproducción, distribución, comunicación pública y/o transformación total o parcial requiere el consentimiento expreso y escrito de aquéllos. Cualquier enlace al texto completo de estos documentos deberá hacerse a través de la URL oficial de éstos en Dialnet. Más información: https://dialnet.unirioja.es/info/derechosOAI | INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS STATEMENT: Full text documents hosted by Dialnet are protected by copyright and/or related rights. This digital object is accessible without charge, but its use is subject to the licensing conditions set by its authors or editors. Unless expressly stated otherwise in the licensing conditions, you are free to linking, browsing, printing and making a copy for your own personal purposes. All other acts of reproduction and communication to the public are subject to the licensing conditions expressed by editors and authors and require consent from them. Any link to this document should be made using its official URL in Dialnet. More info: https://dialnet.unirioja.es/info/derechosOAI