Australia as a middle power norm entrepreneur in the Asia-Pacific 1983-2010

Abstract

This dissertation sets out to examine the claims of policy makers and scholars that middle powers can influence the norms of the regional and international system. Using the case study of Australian foreign policy in the Asia-Pacific between 1983 and 2010,over three areas of policy activism, this dissertation tests the ideational influence of middle powers and in particular, whether they can promote or change norms (that is, to be a norm entrepreneur) as a way of shaping the regional international system. The original contribution to knowledge in this research is that middle powers are actively concerned with promoting norms and can fulfil the requirements for norm entrepreneurship. The dissertation also has developed a conceptual framework for identifying norm entrepreneurs and a new definition for middle powers which help to provide theoretical rigour to this and future research into these two areas. This dissertation’s findings help to clarify the role of middle powers, such as Australia, including how they seek to influence the international system. It also offers a fresh approach to the study of norm diffusion and norm entrepreneurship that will help to address some of the key questions in the literature.

Date of Award	2012
Original language	English
Supervisor	Mark Turner (Supervisor)