Presenter: Alexander K. Rodriguez is a 2nd-year Ph.D. student in Georgetown’s Department of Government. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, he completed his Bachelor’s in Political Science at the University of Chicago and his Masters in International Relations at L.S.E. His work considers the many ways imperialism and colonialism have shaped international order, with a basis in history. He has an appreciation for research that incorporates insights, concepts, and frameworks from diverse fields to form creative new approaches to questions in International Relations.
Abstract: Small state IR as a research program has floundered at the first task- defining its object of study. Having failed to theorize smallness in a meaningful way, such research lacks rigor and external validity. This paper demonstrates the potential wealth of analysis unlocked by abandoning ‘smallness’ and instead focusing on more salient associated case characteristics and variables. Importantly, these characteristics demand to be understood relationally, which indicates the usefulness of relational International Relations theoretical approaches to the small state IR research program. To demonstrate, this research paper examines Antigua & Barbuda as a case study in relational terms, through topics such as the Caribbean region, the Commonwealth and decolonization, development, loopholes and tax havens, tourism, and state agency. Throughout, asymmetric capacities, historical roles, value, and dependence emerge as consistent aspects of Antigua & Barbuda’s relations with other states, which prove more useful for theorizing than smallness.