This study examines foreign policy change.In contrast to most previous research this study investigates when trend-and significant foreign policy changes occurs. This study is a case study that examines US foreign policy changes and actions towards the Islamic republic of Pakistan.This study will also be using Jakob Gustavsson’s theory on foreign policy change. This is a qualitative study.A relationship historically defined by its ups and downs. This study finds that it is most likely that in order for significant changes to occur in foreign policy there must be changes in the fundamental structural conditions. A plausible conclusion is that the trend change that has occurred is the result of a series of events under 2011 that led to a crisis between the two countries

This essay conducts a qualitative text analysis on the Swedish foreign policy debates held in February 2015 and 2023. The study aims to enhance understanding of the shift in Swedish security policy following the Swedish NATO application. Using an ideal-type analysis, the occurrence of realistic and liberal assumptions is compared in the two debates. The study reveals that both debates are characterized by liberal assumptions. Additionally, it is evident that the Swedish foreign policy debate in 2023 is characterized to a greater extent by realistic assumptions than the debate in 2015. This difference becomes apparent as the debaters in 2023 more frequently and elaborately discuss the consequences of the international situation for security in Sweden and its vicinity. At the same time, the threat is more extensively linked to states, and a certain skepticism is expressed towards international institutions and their ability to uphold international laws. This enhances understanding of the shift in the Swedish security policy debate, indicating a change in how Swedish politicians talk about security concerns.

With background in the acknowledgement of the current period of major change in the characteristics of traditional Swedish foreign policy, considering the membership in the European Union, as well as the new contextual scenarios that Sweden has been situated in after the end of the cold war, this thesis aims at scrutinizing the Swedish Foreign Policy from 1991 to 2010. The purpose of the thesis is further to localize continuity and change in the ideas which Sweden has explicitly stated in its foreign policy. Based on the theory of institutionalism, the thesis also aims to bring forward plausible explanations built on the main empirical findings. This has been done by identifying different types of goals and means within realism and liberalism as well as categorizing each theory within three ideal types. The chosen research method has been a qualitative text analysis with focus on an ideational analysis. The material on which the descriptive analysis is based upon is constituted by the annual statements of government policy in parliamentary debates on foreign affairs. The results of the thesis show that the ideas that are related to solidarity, consensus and active foreign policy are constant through the period of examination. The ideas of neutrality and non-alignment could, based on the conducted analysis, be understood to continue to go through great changes, of which the engagement in the Common Foreign and Security Policy within the European Union is the most obvious example.

This study investigates the foreign policy re-orientation Turkey has undergone since the Islamist AKP came to power in 2002. The analysis is conducted by way of a case study and use of the congruence method. The aim of the study is to explain the outcome on the basis of two competing theories, which may also be complementary. The first theory supposes that the re-orientation is a result of external events, while the other supposes that the re-orientation emanates from the political leadership’s ability to deal with intrinsic constraints in the domestic political system. Conclusions show that the domestic political order and the external development are heavily intertwined and affect one another. The conclusions may apply for states whose politics are affected by strong ideologies, and additionally waver between traditionalism and modernization.

There has been a turning point in Germany’s foreign policy since the Russian annexation of Crimea, Ukraine in 2014. This study aims to investigate how Germany’s foreign policy has changed from 2014 until 2022. This thesis is relevant due to the uncertain development of the security of Germany and the rest of Europe. Additionally, it is important because the major changes in Germany’s foreign policy have not been analyzed by the theory Foreign Policy Change (FPC). The methodology that has been chosen for this thesisis case study and the research material has been based on primary and secondary sources. The conclusions that can be drawn from this thesis are that Germany’s foreign policy changed minimally after the Russian annexation of Crimea and the most significant changes happened after theRussian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Studiens primära syfte är att utveckla ett teoretiskt ramverk som kan bidra till en ytterligare teoretiskförståelse för staters agerande i FN:s säkerhetsråd. Ramverket vilar på en rationalistisk grund ochbygger på tre förklaringsmodeller; en första med fokus på internationell makt och säkerhet, en andrainomstatlig förklaring och en tredje institutionalistisk förklaring. Ramverket appliceras sedan på enfallstudie där Kinas och USA:s agerande i säkerhetsrådet analyseras. Bland studiens slutsatser börframhållas att säkerhetsrådet av stater anses vara en viktig institution och att det råder en påtagligrespekt för rådets prejudicerande makt. Studien visar även att säkerhetsrådsmedlemmars beslut till stordel är resultatet av långsiktiga kalkyler utifrån reciprocitet och ryktespåverkan, samt att den historiskakontexten påverkar hur staters agerande tas emot av övriga medlemmar. Vidare indikerar studien attstaters veton främst kan härledas till inomstatliga faktorer. Uppsatsens ramverk får anses vara välanpassat för att förklara staters agerande i säkerhetsrådet och kan utgöra grunden för vidare forskninginom ämnet. / The primary purpose of this study is to develop a theoretical framework which can contribute to abroader theoretical understanding of the actions of the U.N. Security Council members. Theframework rests upon a rationalistic foundation and it is constituted of three different models ofexplanation; a first one focuses on international power and security, the second is a domesticexplanation of foreign policy behaviour and the third is an institutional explanation. The framework isthen applied on a case study in which the actions of China and the United States in the SecurityCouncil are explained. Among the findings worth mentioning is that the members find the SecurityCouncil to be an important institution and that there is an apprehension of the precedential power ofthe institution. The study also shows that the action of the members largely is the result of long termcalculation influenced by reciprocity and reputational effects. It is further indicated that the historicalcontext influence the way state actions are perceived, hence it also affect the reciprocity andreputational effect. The study as well points out that a permanent member is more likely to use its vetowhen there are strong domestic reasons of so doing. In general the developed theoretical frameworkseems to be well suited to explain states behaviour in the Security Council and may provide afoundation for further theoretical studies on the subject.

This thesis seeks to understand underlying reasons why Sweden’s long tradition of non-alignment suddenly changed in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It argues that it was not solely due to strategic chock. The thesis is based on the theory framework of national role conception, which has the conceptual mechanism for understanding foreign policy decision-making dynamics. Methodologically, it focuses on narratives from an interpretive perspective to discover role perceptions and role changes. Empirically, this is analysed based on the defence policy, during the period 2014 to 2022, and the transformation that took place of Swedish defence. The result shows a gradual shift from previous core political values, enabling a different perception of roles.

Syftet med denna studie har varit att undersöka möjliga förklaringar till den ryska statsledningens beslut att invadera Ukraina. Forskningsfrågan löd: Hur kan den ryska statsledningens beslut att invadera Ukraina förstås utifrån ett rollteoretiskt perspektiv? Forskningsfrågan har undersökts genom att analysera uttalande från centrala aktörer inom den ryska presidentadministrationen och utrikesministeriet utifrån ett rollteoretiskt perspektiv. Tre kompletterande rollföreställningar har kunnat identifieras: (1) beskyddare av landsmän utomlands (2) upprätthållare av principen om odelbar säkerhet (3) återställare av det historiska Ryssland. Rollerna är nära sammanflätade med varandra och används alla av ryska beslutsfattare för att på olika sätt motivera invasion av Ukraina. Jag finner att de tre identifierade rollerna manifesterar sig i Rysslands politiska målsättningar med kriget i Ukraina. Den första Rollen tar sig uttryck i Kremls politiska målsättning att avsätta det politiska styret i Kiev, för att sedan ersätta den med en Moskvavänlig marionettregim. Den andra Rollen manifesterar sig i Kremls politiska målsättning att bevara Ukraina i den ryska intressesfären och ersätta den rådande unipolära världsordningen med en ny multipolär världsordning. Den tredje rollen uppenbarar sig i den överordnande politiska målsättningen att forma ett storryskt rike, bestående av Ryssland, Ukraina och Belarus, likväl erkännandet av en rysk intressesfär i det postsovjetiska området.

Ontological security theory has served the field of international relations well by providing a theoretical lens through which the continuous behaviours of states can be understood. This study aims to contribute to furthering the development of ontological security theory by demonstrating its explanatory power even in the context of altered state behaviour. Employing a narrative methodological approach the study investigates the coexistence between states' ontological security pursuits in the form of identity continuity on one hand and political policy change on the other. This is achieved by examining political discourse surrounding a case of political policy change, the Swedish shift in stance towards NATO. The analysis of the study reveals that a pursuit of identity continuity and hence ontological security has coexisted with the political policy change, facilitated by narrative adaptations.These narrative adaptations entail making the political change compatible with the already established state identity. This allows for change in certain aspects while preserving continuity in areas necessary to fulfill the state's need for ontological security.

Turkey has often been described as a cultural and geographical bridge between West and East. When the Islamic AKP came to power in Turkey 2002 many critics feared that the country was going to abandon its former Western allies and strengthen their relations with the Arab world instead. The criticism was intensified when the AKP increased Turkey’s bilateral relations with the Middle East and moved closer to former foe’s like Iran and Syria, at the same time as their long-time friendship with Israel experienced serious crisis. The aim and purpose of this thesis is to describe and explain the change in AKP’s foreign policy towards Israel. The research method is a combination of a qualitative text analysis of Turkey’s speeches in the UN General debate and Jakob Gustavsson’s model for explaining foreign policy change. The results show that the Turkish-Israeli relations have deteriorated after the Israeli attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in 2010, particularly regarding diplomatic relations and military agreements. Based on Gustavsson’s model, possible explanations to AKP’s foreign policy change towards Israel, is structural changes such as a growing economy, a strong Turkish public opinion and new partners, with the Gaza war and the attack on the Freedom Flotilla functioning as catalysts for the deterioration.