Livestream: https://webconference.uibk.ac.at/b/tho-qti-8wb-zzl

   Thursday, June 9, 2022

   5:00 pm to approximately 6:30 pm

  This event is held in English.

  Download Poster

About

This lecture will discuss how the Russian invasion of Ukraine has altered small European states‘ security and defence. It will make an attempt to answer questions like: how can small states compensate for their vulnerability? Do small state need to form alliances with larger powers in order to defence themselves from hostile external attacks and prosper economically? How can small state prevent that they become the Weakest Link in western defences? A recent small state theory, shelter theory, will be applied to a number of cases in order to shed a light on the importance of small states to have political (military and diplomatic), economic and societal shelter provided by larger states and multilateral organizations. A special attention will be paid to the cases of Iceland, Sweden and Finland.

Prof. Baldur Thorhallsson

Baldur Thorhallsson is a Professor of Political Science, and founder and Research Director for the Centre for Small State Studies, at the University of Iceland. His research focus has primarily been on small European states, small state theory and Iceland’s foreign policy. His recent articles are included in The Hague Journal of Diplomacy, Scandinavian Journal of History and Global Affairs. His latest edited books are titled Iceland’s Shelter-Seeking Behavior: From Settlement to Republic (Cornell University Press 2021), Small States and the New Security Environment (co-editor) (Springer 2021) and Small States and Shelter Theory: Iceland’s External Affairs (Routledge 2019). He holds a PhD (1999) and MA (1994) in Political Science from the University of Essex in the United Kingdom.

Moderators and Discussants

Franz Eder is associate professor of international relations at the University of Innsbruck and a lecturer at the University of Applied Science BFI Vienna.

In his research, he focuses on foreign policy analysis, US foreign and security policy, (counter)terrorism and methodological questions of the study of international relations.

Martin Senn is associate professor of international relations at the University of Innsbruck and guest lecturer at the Diplomatic Academcy of Vienna.

In his research and teaching he focuses on the emergence and change of order(s) in world politics, (international) political communication as well as on nuclear (non)proliferation and disarmament.

Discuss with us!
The event will take place onsite and online via livestream.
No registration necessary.

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