Rise of Small Island Developing States in the Indo-Pacific

Reframing Foreign Policy Agency

Inbunden, Engelska, 2026

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The Rise of Small Island Developing States in the Indo-Pacific analyses the region, not through the lens of major-power competition, but from the perspective of four island states: Solomon Islands and Fiji in the Pacific Ocean, and Seychelles and Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.The book challenges traditional realist conceptions of small states and prevailing dominant narratives that portray Small Island Developing States (SIDS), increasingly referred to as Large Ocean States (LOS), as peripheral actors constrained by limited power and agency. It redirects analytical attention towards island states that remain largely absent from mainstream accounts of international politics despite their growing geopolitical significance. Covering the period 2017–2026, the book combines thematic analysis of foreign policy documents with elite government interviews to examine how these islands have responded to intensifying geopolitical competition. It argues that they enact the roles of ‘pioneer’ and ‘activist-challenger,’ demonstrating that SIDS/LOS retain meaningful agency, even if the international order becomes increasingly contested.The book advances an alternative framework for analysing their foreign policies, highlighting how island states exercise agency through strategies such as manipulation of interdependence, fluid partnerships and issue-specific engagement together with sources of influence including strategic positioning, collective power, relational resources, narrative shaping and moral suasion. It also challenges the land-centric orientation of International Relations by incorporating ocean space and marine resources as important sources of influence and agency.The Rise of Small Island Developing States in the Indo-Pacific will be of great interest to scholars and students of International Relations, Foreign Policy Analysis, and those studying Ocean or Maritime Studies, as well as Small State Studies and Contemporary History.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2026-11-17
Mått156 x 234 x undefined mm
FormatInbunden
SpråkEngelska
SerieSmall State Studies
Antal sidor224
FörlagTaylor & Francis Ltd
ISBN9781041374190

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Daniela Bianka Marggraff, holds a PhD in International Relations from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, where she serves as a Junior Research Officer in the Department of History, Heritage and Cultural Tourism, within the Faculty of Humanities. Her research is situated within the field of oceanic International Relations and examines the foreign policies of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Large Ocean States (LOS), as well as the evolving geopolitics and governance of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean.

Introduction. When ‘small’ islands trigger big reactions Chapter 2. Small Island Developing States: small and inconsequential or small and consequential? Chapter 3. Activist-challenger states: Solomon Islands’ and Fiji’s quest for foreign policy autonomy Chapter 4. Pioneer states: Seychelles’ and Mauritius’ drive towards strategic agency Chapter 5. Beyond dependency: reconceptualising the foreign policies of Small Island Developing States and Large Ocean States Conclusion – From Passive Pawns to Pivotal Players

"This book offers a compelling reinterpretation of Indo-Pacific politics by shifting the focus from the strategic calculations of major powers to the agency of Small Island Developing States. It is a theoretically innovative and rigorously researched analysis. Drawing on illustrative examples from Seychelles and Mauritius in the Indian Ocean and Fiji and Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean, it provides a powerful account of how small island states formulate, enact and adapt their foreign policies in response to intensifying geopolitical competition. Combining analytical sophistication with policy relevance, the book makes a significant contribution to contemporary debates on international relations, small-state foreign policy and Indo-Pacific geopolitics."Valur Ingimundarson, Professor of Contemporary History, University of Iceland"This book provides an important reassessment of the foreign policy options available to Small Island Developing States in the Indo-Pacific. Challenging conventional assumptions about vulnerability and dependence, it demonstrates the diverse strategies through which island states navigate geopolitical competition while advancing their own interests. It will be of considerable interest to scholars and policymakers concerned with maritime politics and the Indo-Pacific in this time of global disrupture." Chris Alden, Professor of International Relations, Director of LSE IDEAS