The New Permissive Use of Force - A Window for Change in German Foreign Policy?

Table of Contents

I. INTRODUCTION

1.Germany and the Dual Change: Unification and the End of the Cold War

2.Focus and Scope of the Case

3.Concepts and Theoretical Literature

4.Argument and Outline of the Chapters

II. GERMANY`S POWER POSITION: THE NEOREALIST APPROACH

1.Contents

2.Relevance

3.Application

3.1 Case 1: Integration of the Bundeswehr in NATO/EU

3.2 Case 2: German participation in out-of-area operations

4.Evaluation

5.Summary

III. DOMESTIC INTERESTS: THE UTILITARIAN LIBERAL APPROACH

1.Contents

2.Relevance

3.Application

3.1 Case 1: Integration of the Bundeswehr in NATO/EU

3.2 Case 2: German participation in out-of-area operations

4.Evaluation

5.Summary

IV. ‘GERMAN’ AND ‘INTERNATIONAL’ NORMS: A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH

1.Contents

2.Relevance

3.Application

3.1 International norms and the dual change

3.2 Societal norms and the dual change

3.3 Case 1: Integration of the Bundeswehr in NATO/EU

3.4 Case 2: German participation in out-of-area operations

4.Evaluation

5.Summary

V.CONCLUSION

1.Results

2.Discussion

3.Where to go from here

Objectives and Topics

This thesis investigates whether German foreign policy, specifically in the realm of security, has fundamentally changed since the reunification of Germany and the end of the Cold War. It aims to determine if the perceived shift toward a more active and military-involved role indicates a departure from traditional postwar principles, or if it remains consistent with existing frameworks.

• The impact of German reunification and the end of the Cold War on security policy.
• The use of Neorealist, Utilitarian Liberal, and Constructivist theories to interpret state behavior.
• The integration of the Bundeswehr into NATO and EU structures as a case study.
• The analysis of German military participation in international "out-of-area" missions.
• The debate between continuity and change in the Berlin Republic's foreign policy.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

I. INTRODUCTION: Outlines the research focus on German security policy changes after 1990 and introduces the methodological framework.

II. GERMANY`S POWER POSITION: THE NEOREALIST APPROACH: Examines how the distribution of power and capabilities explains German security behavior using a Neorealist lens.

III. DOMESTIC INTERESTS: THE UTILITARIAN LIBERAL APPROACH: Analyzes the influence of domestic political actors and network structures on foreign policy preferences.

IV. ‘GERMAN’ AND ‘INTERNATIONAL’ NORMS: A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH: Explores how societal and international norms shape the logic of appropriate behavior for German policymakers.

V. CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the theoretical findings to assess the ongoing debate regarding change versus continuity in German foreign policy.

Keywords

German foreign policy, security policy, reunification, Cold War, NATO, Bundeswehr, Neorealism, Utilitarian Liberalism, Constructivism, out-of-area operations, multilateralism, sovereignty, power position, European integration, domestic interests.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core subject of this thesis?

The work examines the transformation of German foreign and security policy from the end of the Cold War and reunification in 1990 through 2003, focusing on the country's increased military involvement.

What are the primary theoretical frameworks used?

The author employs three distinct International Relations theories: Neorealism (power-centered), Utilitarian Liberalism (interest-centered), and Constructivism (norms-centered).

What is the main objective of the research?

The goal is to determine whether the observed changes in German military activity represent a fundamental shift in foreign policy direction or a continuation of established postwar principles.

How does the author approach the analysis methodologically?

The research conducts an empirical study based on two main test cases: the integration of the Bundeswehr into NATO/EU structures and German participation in multilateral out-of-area missions.

What does the main body of the work address?

It provides a theory-based analysis of each of the three paradigms, applying them to the defined case studies to see which theory best predicts or explains German policy outcomes.

Which keywords characterize this academic work?

The study is defined by terms such as German security policy, Neorealism, Liberalism, Constructivism, multilateralism, the Bundeswehr, and the transition from the "Bonn Republic" to the "Berlin Republic."

How does the author evaluate the impact of the Kosovo War?

The Kosovo conflict is identified as a critical turning point where German foreign policy had to reconcile the conflicting principles of "never again war" and "never again Auschwitz," leading to the first combat mission since 1945.

What role does the Federal Constitutional Court play in this analysis?

The author highlights the court's 1994 ruling as a path-breaking decision that provided the legal basis for the Bundeswehr to participate in out-of-area operations, turning it into a "parliamentary army."