Identity, Interest and Action

a cultural explanation of Sweden's intervention in the Thirty Years War

In 1630 a Swedish army under the command of king Gustav II Adolf crossed the Baltic Sea and landed in Germany. Sweden, at the time, was one of the poorest and most peripheral countries in Europe. They were going to war against the Habsburg Emperor in Vienna, the most powerful man on the Continent. The question is why. Why did Sweden go to war in 1630. This book tells the story.

But there is a theoretical argument here as well. The decision to intervene into the German war was taken since the Swedish king wanted recognition for himself and for his country, and he wanted recognition from the leading rulers of the day – the Habsburg Emperor, and the kings of France and Germany. We need recognition in order to establish an identity for ourselves, and the actions we undertake to that end are not concerned with matter of utility. It is only once we are someone – once we have a recognized identity – that we can act in our interests.

cover

Book blog

Erik

Universities that use the book

It is pretty remarkable how the book has been picked up by teachers around the world, and used in their courses. I never expected this kind of a response. Courses that have had the book on the reading list include …

Read more ...
Erik

Preface to the paperback edition

Writing the preface to a new edition of a book that first appeared twelve years ago is like trying to introduce a very good, but long-lost, friend. You know the person really well but you are at the same time not quite sure what he or she has been up to lately. …

Read more ...
Erik

Out in paperback

Cambridge University Press just confirmed that Identity, Interest & Action, long available only in hard-back and ridiculously priced at some $130 US, now is out in paperback.  It took 12 long years! …

Read more ...
Erik

The struggle for recognition

This is a new project I’m working on together with a friend, Thomas Lindemann in Bourdeaux. It’s on “the struggle for recognition in international relations.” It’s going to be an edited volume with us two as editors. …

Read more ...
Erik

Your PhD

The meeting went fine; your dissertation got two “very goods” and one “distinction” (Scott).  I gave it very good, but that’s no criticism; it’s still one revision away from a distinction. …

Read more ...