Baldur Thorhallsson – författare

Small states are dependent on the economic, political, and societal shelter provided by larger states and international organizations to survive and prosper.

Iceland provides an ideal case study for shelter theory, due both to its smallness as compared with its larger neighbouring states, as well as its status as both an entity and then as a state. That Iceland has historically been so isolated, relative to other small European states, also makes it easier to trace the country’s interactions with other actors, since the impact of each interaction can be measured more definitively thus broadening the theory’s validity and offering new insights into its operations. The contributors to this volume focus on the extent of Iceland’s external engagement with other states and the domestic consequences of this interaction. Societal shelter, in terms of transfer of norms and values, is as of much importance as economic and political shelter. By unpacking the structure of Iceland’s external relations, this book demonstrates both the size-related disadvantages and the unique needs of small states to evaluate, explain, and predict small state behaviour.

This book will be of interest to all scholars in international relations, especially those interested in small state behaviour.

Small states are dependent on the economic, political, and societal shelter provided by larger states and international organizations to survive and prosper.

Iceland provides an ideal case study for shelter theory, due both to its smallness as compared with its larger neighbouring states, as well as its status as both an entity and then as a state. That Iceland has historically been so isolated, relative to other small European states, also makes it easier to trace the country’s interactions with other actors, since the impact of each interaction can be measured more definitively thus broadening the theory’s validity and offering new insights into its operations. The contributors to this volume focus on the extent of Iceland’s external engagement with other states and the domestic consequences of this interaction. Societal shelter, in terms of transfer of norms and values, is as of much importance as economic and political shelter. By unpacking the structure of Iceland’s external relations, this book demonstrates both the size-related disadvantages and the unique needs of small states to evaluate, explain, and predict small state behaviour.

This book will be of interest to all scholars in international relations, especially those interested in small state behaviour.

Iceland's Shelter-Seeking Behavior challenges the traditional narrative that Iceland's submission to foreign rule and external relations had catastrophic consequences for the country. It argues that this narrative both exaggerates the costs of external relations and underestimates their benefits. Within the historical context of Iceland's external relations, the book outlines shelter theory, applying its assumption that small polities need economic, political, and societal shelter in order to prosper.

Analysis of Iceland's external relations from the Norse settlement, a little before 900, to the creation of the Republic in 1944 suggests that throughout the period, this island nation enjoyed essential shelter, vital for development and prosperity, which its larger neighbors—Norway, Denmark, Great Britain, and the United States—provided. Other international actors, such as Hansa merchants; Dutch, French, Spanish, and Basque mariners; and the Catholic Church, also provided Iceland with important shelter.

Why has Iceland not sought membership of the European Union?This unique volume uses the case study of Iceland - the only Nordic state to have never applied for EU membership - to explore the complex attitudes of small states to European intergration and provide a new theoretical approach for understanding such relationships.The contributors explain why the Icelandic political elite has been relunctant to participate in European integration. In this context, they analyse the influence that Iceland''s special relationship with the US and the fisheries sector have had on their dealings with the EU. Also considered are ''new'' variables, such as national administrative characteristics and particular features of the domestic arena of the political elite, as well as the elite''s perception of international relations and its political discourse concerning independence and sovereignty.Iceland and European Integration will appeal to all those interested in European integration and the international relations of small states

Why has Iceland not sought membership of the European Union?This unique volume uses the case study of Iceland - the only Nordic state to have never applied for EU membership - to explore the complex attitudes of small states to European intergration and provide a new theoretical approach for understanding such relationships.The contributors explain why the Icelandic political elite has been relunctant to participate in European integration. In this context, they analyse the influence that Iceland''s special relationship with the US and the fisheries sector have had on their dealings with the EU. Also considered are ''new'' variables, such as national administrative characteristics and particular features of the domestic arena of the political elite, as well as the elite''s perception of international relations and its political discourse concerning independence and sovereignty.Iceland and European Integration will appeal to all those interested in European integration and the international relations of small states

Foreign policy is one of the most complex policies of every state, and Portugal and Iceland are no exception. The “Small States and Big Powers: Portugal and Iceland’s Foreign Relations” book analyses the importance of relations with big powers or regional and international organisations from a shelter theory perspective, detailing the degree of political, economic and societal shelter that they have provided to Portugal and to Iceland over time.

Despite having followed distinct paths, Portugal and Iceland have some important similarities in their foreign policy, namely in relation to the European and the Atlantic dimensions and their participation in regional organisations. The book examines their decisions to join or not to join regional organisations, and both countries’ bilateral relations with other important parts of the world, namely Africa, the Nordic states and China.

This book compares the foreign policies of Portugal and Iceland considering their commonly identified status as small states and place them within the shelter theory framework, and its findings indicate that both countries need to balance their international relations with shelter provided by different actors. Their size and political and economic capabilities matter in their bilateral and multilateral relations. It is therefore in both countries’ interest to maintain strong cooperation not only with big powers, but also regional and international organisations, depending on their field of action, in order to flourish politically, economically and socially.