ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that the description of Germany as a reluctant power oversimplifies the significant changes in German foreign policy since the end of the Cold War that transformed its role within the transatlantic alliance. It introduces a theoretical perspective at the intersection of constructivism and liberal international relations theory. The chapter examines a role theoretical approach to grasp external expectations from key allies within North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as well as the limiting factor of domestic politics. It also argues that role theory, which is rooted in social constructivism, offers a more accurate explanation for Germany’s foreign policy within the Western alliance. This approach helps understand how Germany’s role and its strategic vision in NATO changed in view of both external pressures articulated by other members of the alliance and domestic incentives and restrictions. The chapter evaluates two key indicators of Germany’s foreign policy within NATO: contribution to military missions and trajectory of Germany’s defense budget.
