Reframing Neutrality : Debates, Concepts and Intellectual Traditions

Reframes neutrality as a global, strategic concept using an interdiscipinary framework and global case studies.

Redefining neutrality as a dynamic and strategic posture in global politics, this open access interdisciplinary volume moves beyond Cold War legacies and Eurocentric legal frameworks to explore neutrality through philosophy, law, economics, and international relations. Contributions include the examination of ancient texts including Kautilya’s Arthashastra, the resilience of neutrality law in cyber warfare, and the strategic agency of small states in nuclear diplomacy and multipolar conflict. With diverse global case studies from Europe, Asia, and the Americas, this innovative volume decentralizes traditional narratives and highlights neutrality’s relevance in today’s fragmented world order. Whether as a tool of sovereignty, a buffer against great power rivalry, or a platform for global peacebuilding, neutrality emerges as a vital concept for scholars, diplomats, and policymakers seeking to understand how states navigate autonomy, responsibility, and global governance in the 21st century. The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by Kyoto University.