| Summary: | According to some scholars, realism and liberalism as theories are considered to have different explanatory power depending on what phenomenon in international relations they are set to examine. John J. Mearsheimer argues that liberalism seemed to be advancing its explanatory power after the cold war but that realism has made a strong comeback since 9/11. In the wake of the Russian annexation of Crimea and the war in Ukraine, how are these theories reflected in the strategic development of European countries standing without formal military alliances? The purpose of this thesis is to examine strategic coherence through realism and liberalism as well as to investigate whether a shift in explanatory power can be identified when comparing results from a period of relative tranquility to more perilous times, regarding international security. The results indicate that realism has indeed made a strong comeback and that strategic coherence has increased over the past 15 years. Liberalism on the other hand, appears challenged but is still prevalent although its strategic coherence appears to have slightly diminished.
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