Analysing Small States in Crisis: Fundamental Assumptions and Analytical Starting Points

This book identifies challenges faced by small states in the turbulent international environment and unpacks their ‘coping strategies’. From that perspective, the European migration crisis represents a crisis that tests the resilience and existing institutions of small states and asks how they cope, in terms of policy, resources and focus. In this context, the aim of this chapter is to discuss what we mean by a ‘small state’ and outline a set of coping strategies specifying the conditions under which they may be prevalent. Respecting the cross-disciplinary ambitions of the book, as well as the multi-dimensional nature of the migration crisis, we do not seek to impose a ‘one size fits all’ perspective on small states. The aim is to provide an analytical anchor, not a theoretical straightjacket. Thus, we map the conceptual and theoretical landscape evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of various definitions of small states and discuss the strategic menu of small states in a time of turmoil.