ABSTRACT
Both nations and their political representatives demand respectful treatment from their international peers. In particular, Asian publics and leaders increasingly insist on their improved status being properly recognized by Western state representatives. Research in both social psychological and political science strongly indicates that meeting such claims can foster international understanding while status misrecognition fuels conflicts. Yet what do such findings imply for political practitioners? How can they make use of the positive effects of respectful gestures without compromising their own status or other foreign policy objectives? After defining respectful behavior as status recognition, the article first summarizes empirical research on the impact of (dis)respect, before it addresses potential drawbacks of satisfying other states’ status claims. This discussion will be used as a basis for formulating policy recommendations aimed at facilitating international cooperation without lowering the perceived status of the acting state. In this context, particular emphasis will be given to efforts to meet Chinese and Indian demands for respectful treatment by ‘the West.’
