The Rise of Authoritarian Middle-Powers and What It Means for World Politics by Nic Cheeseman

In recent years, a group of influential authoritarian states has?emerged that fall between the ranks of great powers and small states. These authoritarian middle-powers - such as T?rkiye and the United?Arab Emirates - exert considerable influence, particularly in their region. Yet this development has been overlooked in favor of a focus on superpowers, especially China and Russia. We therefore lack?a framework for understanding their behavior and impact. This Element?offers the first comprehensive analysis of how non-democratic middle-powers engage abroad. Drawing on critical case studies, it shows how the combination of authoritarian politics and?mid-level status leads to distinctive foreign policies. In particular, these?strategies erode global democratic norms and institutions through?a combination of hard power and transnational repression tempered?by hedging and legitimation strategies. In this way, authoritarian middle-powers are helping to unravel the liberal rules-based order.?This title is available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
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