Nadav Kedem

Thèmes de recherche

International Relations, Foreign Policy Analysis, European Foreign Policy, Status in International Relations, Humanitarian Intervention, Social Capital

Dr. Nadav Kedem is currently a Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow at Sciences Po (Paris) within the Centre d'études européennes (CEE) and previously within the Centre de recherches internationales (CERI). Nadav completed his PhD at the University of Haifa (Israel) under the supervision of Prof. Benny Miller. His dissertation deals with status as a major motivation shaping the foreign policy of states, focusing on reunified Germany. Dr. Kedem was a Max Weber Fellow at the European University Institute in Florence (2015-2016). Currently, Nadav is engaged with projects exploring the role of humanitarian intervention and social capital as boosting international status, focusing on foreign policy of various European states.

Projet de recherche mené dans le cadre du séjour au CEE

States operate not only in business-like environment but also in a social one. Thus, we argue that states can proactively accumulate social capital to promote their goals. States, like humans, can network and obtain a favorable access to relevant other more influential states. Thus, we introduce social capital to International Relations as a concept adapted for analysis at the state level. Effectively, we focus on the proactive targeting of decision-makers in an attempt to acquire a favorable access and goodwill, amounting to accumulating social capital by a state.

In an increasingly competitive world of a growing number of states, social capital becomes crucial for small states, competing for the attention of major states. Specifically, a globalized world needs more ‘management’, effectively conducted by leading states. Ensuring more favorable managerial policy is crucial for small states. We will explain how influence over managerial decision-making corresponds to international status. Generally, we will show that status necessitates recognition by other states, and that recognition manifests itself through legitimization of certain states’ right to shape and maintain the ‘rules of the game.’

However, strategically accumulating social capital to boost (relative) status is a highly challenging task. Social capital is rather path-dependent, slowly and incrementally built following repeated (positive) interactions. Thus, social capital prioritizes ‘veteran’ agents over ‘new-comers.’ We explore potential solutions for this challenge. Specifically, we explore cooperation with powers within the security realm (particularly, significant burden sharing) as enabling a quick accumulation of social capital due to the unique nature of this realm. We will illustrate our argument through a review of relevant post Cold War policies of the Nordic States.