Abstract

This research is planned to explore how a regional state could improve its security during the time of its patron’s strategic retrenchment. It introduces a theory of a regional state’s security-promoting behaviors during the time of its patron’s retrenchment. According to this theory, it is hypothesized that there is covariation between the level of a regional state’s security concern and the scope of its domestic drives to increase societal contribution to autonomous defense posture. It also hypothesizes the existence of covariation between the level of a regional state’s security concern and the level of its commitment to the pursuit of a military policy against its patron’s strategic interests. Empirical findings from the case study of the security-seeking behaviors of the US allies in Northeast Asia support the two research hypotheses. A reader may want to test the validity of the theory against another context of a superpower’s strategic retrenchment.

Keywords

Social sciences, Asymmetric military alliance, Internal balancing, Security-seeking strategy, Strategic retrenchment, Us allies in Northeast Asia

Disciplines

International Relations

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Political Science

First Advisor

Keith L. Shimko

Committee Chair

Keith L. Shimko

Committee Member 1

Aaron M. Hoffman

Committee Member 2

Harry R. Targ

Committee Member 3

Eric N. Waltenburg

Date of Award

8-2016

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