ABSTRACT
International relations theories have largely assumed that small states operate according to the same logics as large states. Existing theories have paid insufficient attention to the unique qualities of small states and the ways in which these unique qualities impact small states’ alignment with larger states. The development of shelter theory is an attempt to bring together a number of significant insights from other theories and research, which we have found inadequate on their own, to provide a simplified yet comprehensive framework for understanding small states’ foreign policy choices.
