Status Politics: The Changing Meanings and Practices of South Korea's Middle Power Diplomacy

Abstract

Why do some states engage in so-called middle power diplomacy? Conventional middle power scholarship does not adequately explain this question because the logical premise underlying its definition of “middle powers” is either inconsequential or circular. Building on theoretical insights from status politics, I argue that a state's pursuit of middle power diplomacy is inextricably linked to status considerations within the hierarchy of international standing. I offer a theoretical framework that captures the subjective and intersubjective dimensions of why and how a state formulates and reformulates middle power diplomacy in particular ways over time. Empirically, I examine the emergence and evolution of South Korea's middle power diplomacy over the past two decades. I show how the government's differing conceptions, understandings, and reflections of middle power diplomacy have informed, shaped, and transformed its diplomatic practices.