Small States and Big Powers: Portugal and Iceland’s Foreign Relations (The World of Small States, 10)

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. Acknowledgments This work was sponsored by: Contents Editors and Contributors Chapter 1: Portugal and Iceland: Foreign Policy Constructed by Smallness? 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Does Smallness Construct States in the Same Way? 1.3 Are the Foreign Policies of Portugal and Iceland Constructed by History, Geography, and Size? 1.4 Do All Small States Need Shelter? 1.5 The Layout References Chapter 2: Portugal, the European Union and Shelter Theory 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Political Shelter: Increasing the International Scale of Interests 2.3 Economic Shelter: Securing Funding 2.4 Societal Shelter: Belonging to a New Societal Project 2.5 Conclusion References Chapter 3: A Reluctant European: Iceland and European Integration 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Economic Shelter: Opportunities and Risks 3.2.1 The 2009 Membership Application: A Missed Economic Shelter Opportunity? 3.3 Societal Shelter: For the Icelandic Youth? 3.4 Political Shelter: Benefits and Costs 3.5 Conclusion References Chapter 4: Portugal and NATO: Enduring Alliance or Necessary Shelter? 4.1 Why a Founding Member? 4.2 Portugal and NATO in the Cold War 4.3 Portuguese Transition to Democracy and NATO 4.4 The Post-Cold War Period: Between Atlanticism and Europeanisation 4.5 Conclusions References Chapter 5: The Small State and the Superpower: Iceland ́s Relations with the United States 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Political Shelter 5.2.1 The Origins of Icelandic-US Political Relations, 1939-1945 5.2.2 Forging the Icelandic-US Political Alliance, 1945-1951 5.2.3 The Rebellious Ally, 1951-1991 5.2.4 Icelandic-US Political Relations, 1991-2006 5.2.5 Icelandic-US Political Relations in the Post-American Era, 2006-2022 5.3 Economic Shelter 5.3.1 The Origins of Icelandic-US Economic Relations, 1941-1945 5.3.2 Forging the Icelandic-US Economic Alliance, 1945-1960 5.3.3 Icelandic-US Economic Relations, 1960-2006 5.3.4 Icelandic-US Economic Relations in the Post-American Era, 2006-2022 5.4 Societal Shelter 5.4.1 Icelandic-US Social Relations, 1941-2022 5.5 Conclusion References Chapter 6: Iceland ́s Relations with the Nordic States 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Iceland and Nordic Cooperation: Political Shelter 6.3 Iceland and Nordic Cooperation: Economic Shelter 6.4 Iceland and Nordic Cooperation: Societal Shelter 6.5 Conclusion References Chapter 7: Portugal ́s Contemporary Relations with Africa: A Limited Shelter? 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Political Shelter: Some Valuable Diplomatic Support 7.3 Economic Shelter: Significant Cooperation, Rather than Direct Support 7.4 Societal Shelter: Upholding Portugal ́s Status and Identity 7.5 Conclusion References Chapter 8: Sino-Icelandic Relations 8.1 Introduction 8.2 A Deserted Small State Seeking Political Shelter 8.2.1 Political Backing in a Crisis Situation 8.2.2 Groundwork for the Sino-Icelandic Relations to Blossom 8.2.3 Arctic Cooperation 8.3 Economic Shelter: Good Start and Downturn 8.3.1 The FTA and Investments 8.3.2 The Offer to Join the Belt and Road Initiative: Still on Hold 8.3.3 A Setback in Sino-Icelandic Relations 8.4 Societal Shelter: Marginal Cooperation 8.5 Conclusions References Chapter 9: The Many Shades of Shelter: Portugal and Iceland ́s Quest for Political, Economic and Societal Shelter