Comparative exceptionalism: universality and particularity in foreign policy discourses

Journal article | Zeitschriftenartikel

Existing research on exceptionalism in foreign policy suggests a number of confrontational features making it a threat to peaceful international relations. Largely based on US and European cases, and hardly ever taking a comparative approach, this literature overlooks a variety of exceptionalisms in non-Western countries, including so called "rising powers" such as China and India. A comparison between exceptionalist foreign policy discourses of the United States, China, India, and Turkey shows that exceptionalism is neither exclusive to the United States, nor a "new" phenomenon within rising powers, nor necessarily confrontational, unilateralist, or exemptionalist. As a prerequisite for comparative work, we establish two features common to all exceptionalist foreign policy discourses. In essence, such discourses are informed by supposedly universal values derived from a particular civilization heritage or political history. In order to systematize different versions of exceptionalism, we then propose four ideal types, each of which reflects exceptionalism's common trait of a claim to moral superiority and uniqueness but diverges across other important dimensions, with implications for its potentially offensive character. The article concludes by formulating a research agenda for future comparative work on exceptionalist foreign policy discourses and their repercussions for great power relations and global politics.

Object Details

• ISSN: 1468-2486
• Extent: Seite(n): 12–37
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Status: Veröffentlichungsversion; begutachtet (peer reviewed)

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Review of International Studies, 21(1)

Classification and Topics

• Subject: Internationale Beziehungen ; internationale Beziehungen, Entwicklungspolitik ; Theorie ; Außenpolitik ; Methodik ; vergleichende Forschung ; Diskurs

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Nymalm, Nicola ; Plagemann, Johannes
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Vereinigtes Königreich
• (when): 2019

Further information

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/isr/viy008
• URN: urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-61777-3
• Rights: GESIS - Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften. Bibliothek Köln
• Last update: 21.06.2024, 4:27 PM CEST