This thesis examines the Cold War international system with the help of network theory and discusses the concept of brokerage country in depth through the examples of Former Yugoslavia and Nasser's Egypt. These states, which did not have a deep connection with any pole in the Cold War international system, maintained their connections with both groups and thus had an impact on the international system beyond their material capacity. For this reason, this thesis explains that states' positions in the international network can also be a source of power, through the examples of Former Yugoslavia and Nasser's Egypt. For an in-depth analysis of this discussion, Burt's structural holes theory is used to explain the concept of brokerage. Additionally, to use the Quantitative metrics of Network Theory and show its applicability the European International system is portrayed as a network and the positions of the states are determined. Moreover, the brokerage capacities of the states of the period are measured by calculating the betweenness\ centrality and clustering coefficient metrics. As a result, this thesis tries to present an alternative perspective to the Cold War international system and also today's changing international system, by making use of network theory Employing network theory, an underutilized methodology in international relations, this study aims to uncover the less apparent structure of the international system by analyzing countries' positions within it. The theory of structural holes is highlighted as a crucial tool for identifying gaps in social relationships between groups and actors, thus offering insights into potential conflictual relationships, power, prestige, and influence among countries. The practical application of structural hole theory is demonstrated through a case study of the Cold War era, proposing an alternative perspective to the traditional bipolarity narrative by identifying distinct groups and their interactions. This approach sheds light on the structural configuration of the Cold War international system as a network and identifies potential broker countries, with a specific focus on socialist Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia's unique position, maintaining connections with both Cold War poles without aligning strictly with either, exemplifies the power of brokerage within the network. The country's influential role in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) underscores the significance of network positions in enabling countries to pursue independent foreign policies and exert influence on international affairs. This paper contributes to the field of international relations by offering a deeper understanding of how network structures and the strategic exploitation of structural holes can impact global geopolitical dynamics. It provides theoretical and practical insights for countries navigating the complexities of a networked international system, highlighting the importance of strategic positioning and brokerage in enhancing a country's power and influence.
This thesis examines the Cold War international system with the help of network theory and discusses the concept of brokerage country in depth through the examples of Former Yugoslavia and Nasser's Egypt. These states, which did not have a deep connection with any pole in the Cold War international system, maintained their connections with both groups and thus had an impact on the international system beyond their material capacity. For this reason, this thesis explains that states' positions in the international network can also be a source of power, through the examples of Former Yugoslavia and Nasser's Egypt. For an in-depth analysis of this discussion, Burt's structural holes theory is used to explain the concept of brokerage. Additionally, to use the Quantitative metrics of Network Theory and show its applicability the European International system is portrayed as a network and the positions of the states are determined. Moreover, the brokerage capacities of the states of the period are measured by calculating the betweenness centrality and clustering coefficient metrics.As a result, this thesis tries to present an alternative perspective to the Cold War international system and also today's changing international system, by making use of network theory
BRIDGES BETWEEN BLOCS: ANALYSING COLD WAR GEOPOLITICS THROUGH NETWORK THEORY
SÖNMEZ, EMRE
2022/2023
Abstract
This thesis examines the Cold War international system with the help of network theory and discusses the concept of brokerage country in depth through the examples of Former Yugoslavia and Nasser's Egypt. These states, which did not have a deep connection with any pole in the Cold War international system, maintained their connections with both groups and thus had an impact on the international system beyond their material capacity. For this reason, this thesis explains that states' positions in the international network can also be a source of power, through the examples of Former Yugoslavia and Nasser's Egypt. For an in-depth analysis of this discussion, Burt's structural holes theory is used to explain the concept of brokerage. Additionally, to use the Quantitative metrics of Network Theory and show its applicability the European International system is portrayed as a network and the positions of the states are determined. Moreover, the brokerage capacities of the states of the period are measured by calculating the betweenness\ centrality and clustering coefficient metrics. As a result, this thesis tries to present an alternative perspective to the Cold War international system and also today's changing international system, by making use of network theory Employing network theory, an underutilized methodology in international relations, this study aims to uncover the less apparent structure of the international system by analyzing countries' positions within it. The theory of structural holes is highlighted as a crucial tool for identifying gaps in social relationships between groups and actors, thus offering insights into potential conflictual relationships, power, prestige, and influence among countries. The practical application of structural hole theory is demonstrated through a case study of the Cold War era, proposing an alternative perspective to the traditional bipolarity narrative by identifying distinct groups and their interactions. This approach sheds light on the structural configuration of the Cold War international system as a network and identifies potential broker countries, with a specific focus on socialist Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia's unique position, maintaining connections with both Cold War poles without aligning strictly with either, exemplifies the power of brokerage within the network. The country's influential role in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) underscores the significance of network positions in enabling countries to pursue independent foreign policies and exert influence on international affairs. This paper contributes to the field of international relations by offering a deeper understanding of how network structures and the strategic exploitation of structural holes can impact global geopolitical dynamics. It provides theoretical and practical insights for countries navigating the complexities of a networked international system, highlighting the importance of strategic positioning and brokerage in enhancing a country's power and influence.È consentito all'utente scaricare e condividere i documenti disponibili a testo pieno in UNITESI UNIPV nel rispetto della licenza Creative Commons del tipo CC BY NC ND.
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14239/3910