1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910450579003321

Autore

Goldsmith Benjamin E

Titolo

Imitation in international relations [[electronic resource] ] : observational learning, analogies, and foreign policy in Russia and Ukraine / / Benjamin E. Goldsmith

Pubbl/distr/stampa

New York, : Palgrave Macmillan, 2005

ISBN

1-281-36864-4

9786611368647

1-4039-8048-9

Edizione

[1st ed.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (185 p.)

Disciplina

327.47/009/049

Soggetti

Imitation

International relations

Electronic books.

Russia (Federation) Foreign relations

Ukraine Foreign relations 1991-

Russia (Federation) Politics and government 1991-

Ukraine Politics and government 1991-

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references (p. [147]-162) and index.

Nota di contenuto

Cover; Contents; List of Tables; List of Figures; Preface; Acknowledgments; 1 Introduction; 2 Choice, Learning, and Foreign Policy; 3 A Theory of Imitation in Foreign Policy; 4 Are Elites Influenced by Foreign Analogies?; 5 State-Level Effects on Elite Imitation; 6 Case Studies: Foreign Capital and ""Strategic"" Enterprise Privatization; 7 Conclusions: Imitation and Transition in International Relations; Appendices; Notes; References; Index

Sommario/riassunto

Imitation and emulation are mechanisms of competition in international relations that are theoretically posited but empirically diffuse. Goldsmith provides a trenchant overview of the extant literature and evidence, finding that specification and operationalization problems may explain the disconnect. Providing a distinctive and generalizable approach drawing on concepts from psychology and organizational



behavior, this book refines theories of foreign policy to include observational learning to identify when imitation is likely and what behaviors are most imitated. Both statistical and case study methods are used to uncover patterns of analogy usage. Looking at Russia and the Ukraine, Goldsmith increases our understanding of the foreign policies of these two states while also expanding the empirical base of research. By exploring the practical and theoretical significance of learning and imitation, this is an important contribution for foreign policy professionals and scholars.