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A dyadic theory of conflict: power and interests in world politices

Sweeney, Kevin John
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1070476254

Abstract Details

2004, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Political Science.
Power is the most important concept in political science, and this is no different in the field of international relations. In particular, one ‘power question’ has dominated theoretical and empirical work: is it balances of power or preponderances of power between states that are more pacific? Seemingly distinct theoretical arguments have grown up around each of the two positions and the bulk of the recent empirical literature has found preponderances of power to be more pacific. This dissertation re-examines the balance-preponderance question at the level of the interstate dyad, and argues that in order to arrive the correct answer we must take state interests into account. Operating at the level of the interstate dyad gains us tremendous empirical leverage with which to re-examine the classical literature on the ‘balance-preponderance’ question. Not only am I able to show that the foundations of the two main schools of thought are remarkably similar, but I am able to demonstrate an important shortcoming in the classical arguments. They do not allow for independent and conditional effects for power and interests on conflict. This prompts me to develop a dyadic theory of conflict that does allow for these two key variables to have independent and conditional effects on severe military conflict. The dyadic theory of conflict has four main hypotheses. First, dyadic balances of power are more peaceful than dyadic preponderances of power. Second, dyads with similar interests will experience less conflict than dyads with dissimilar interests. Third, there is a significant conditional relationship between power and interests when determining dyadic conflict. Finally, interests have a greater effect on dyadic conflict than power. After carefully conceptualizing and operationalizing ‘power’ as relative power and ‘interests’ as dyadic interest similarity, these four hypotheses are tested using descriptive and multivariate statistical techniques on four sets of dependent variables which encompass the definition of severe military conflict: conflict occurrence, conflict severity, conflict timing, and inter-conflict (de)escalation. I find strong support for hypothesis one, and very strong support for hypotheses two, three, and four; even in the face of numerous competing hypotheses.
Brian Pollins (Advisor)
366 p.
International Conflict; Balance of Power; Interest Similarity; Sample Selection Models; Event History Models

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Sweeney, K. J. (2004). A dyadic theory of conflict: power and interests in world politices [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1070476254

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Sweeney, Kevin. A dyadic theory of conflict: power and interests in world politices. 2004. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1070476254.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Sweeney, Kevin. "A dyadic theory of conflict: power and interests in world politices." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2004. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1070476254

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1070476254
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© 2004, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.