King in the North: evaluating the status recognition and performance of the Scandinavian countries
| Published date | 01 June 2023 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/00471178221110135 |
| Author | Pål Røren,Anders Wivel |
| Date | 01 June 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
https://doi.org/10.1177/00471178221110135
International Relations
2023, Vol. 37(2) 298 –323
© The Author(s) 2022
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DOI: 10.1177/00471178221110135
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King in the North: evaluating
the status recognition
and performance of the
Scandinavian countries
Pål Røren
University of Cambridge
Anders Wivel
University of Copenhagen
Abstract
The Scandinavian states’ pursuit of status in world politics is well documented. However, little
is known about whether these endeavors have resulted in higher status for these states. In this
article, we suggest that the Scandinavian countries represent a useful case to explore whether
similar foreign policy profiles and common club membership equalizes or exacerbates the unequal
distribution of status recognition in world politics. To measure the status recognition of Sweden,
Denmark, and Norway, we use a network centrality measure of diplomatic representation and
exchange from 1970 to 2010. We also measure how well the states have performed to increase
their status recognition given their available status resources (measured by military capabilities
and wealth) and their status-seeking effort (measured by relative diplomatic outreach). Our
results show that Sweden has received significantly more recognition and performed much better
than both Denmark and Norway in the measured period. We offer three explanations for these
developments. First, the spoils of seeking status using the Scandinavian brand is akin to a regional
zero-sum game in which Sweden, as the most visible state of the three, is the main beneficiary
of the status recognition in the direction of the club. Second, status recognition often lags
achievements or increases in status resources because the beliefs of foreign policy practitioners
are only updated sporadically. This status lag is especially visible when states struggle to convert
their resources into status (Norway), or when they succeed in maintaining their status despite
experiencing a drop in status resources (Sweden). Third, an increase in status resources will
Corresponding author:
Pål Røren, University of Cambridge, Department of Politics and International Studies, Alison Richard
Building, 7 West Rd, Cambridge CB3 9DP, UK.
Email: pr502@cam.ac.uk
1110135IRE0010.1177/00471178221110135International RelationsRøren and Wivel
research-article2022
Article
Røren and Wivel 299
only influence status recognition if it plays into a corresponding narrative. Sweden, in contrast to
the nouveau riche Norwegians, has managed to rearticulate its foreign policy in a way that has
attracted recognition in world politics.
Keywords
club, diplomacy, network analysis, Scandinavia, small states, status
Introduction
Status-seeking in international relations has been subject of significant scholarly attention
over the past decade. However, the failure of states to achieve recognition on par with
their performance on material parameters such as the economy and military capability
and status-seeking efforts remains understudied. The same is true of states that success-
fully retain their status despite declining material capabilities and limited efforts. In
short, we know little about how, when, and why status is out of tune with efforts and
capabilities. Thus, while it is a fundamental assumption of the status-seeking literature
that status is malleable, we are still seeking for ways to measure status malleability and
explain why it varies.
This article makes three contributions to the existing literature. First, we build on
recent advancements in the literature to sophisticate and combine measures of status
expectations and status performance in order to allow for a more fine-grained under-
standing of what constitutes success and failure in status-seeking. Second, we apply this
measure on the status competition between Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The three
countries have a history of status-seeking and competition, and in the period under inves-
tigation (1970–2010), they saw significant changes in their relative material base vis-à-
vis each other. Thus, they constitute a useful laboratory for exploring the malleability of
status. Finally, building on the literatures of both status-seeking and the Nordic countries
in international relations, we develop three candidate explanations unpacking the logic
of gaps between status expectations and performance.
Nordic status-seeking
The Nordic states are ‘among the countries with the best brands in the world’,1 no mat-
ter whether measured by the Good Country Index, the Global Presence Index, the Soft
Power Index, or indexes on happiness, peace, and reputation.2 Even though the brand
has at times experienced crises,3 and Nordic societal distinctiveness is not as pro-
nounced as it was a few decades ago,4 these countries continue to perform well in the
status game. The Nordic societies have been lauded by The Economist5 as ‘the next
supermodel’ and praised by leading US intellectuals such as Francis Fukuyama6 and
Paul Krugman.7 In an unusual gesture, then US President Barack Obama hosted a state
dinner for heads of state and government from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and
Sweden and toasted the ‘enormous, positive influence’ of the Nordics. He underlined
how, in the eyes of the US administration, these states ‘punch above their weight. In
their values, in their contributions, not just to making their own countries function well,
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