The Astana Times about Svante Cornell’s feature article “Kazakhstan and Middle Powers in Greater Central Asia”
August 20, 2024: The Astana Times about Svante Cornell’s (ISDP’s Director) recent feature article “Kazakhstan and Middle Powers in Greater Central Asia”.
Middle power refers to a country that is not a superpower but still has significant influence and importance on the global stage. While the exact definition is still debated, middle powers can have relatively strong economic, diplomatic, and military capabilities.
According to Cornell, they play the role of stabilizing force and mediating “between or balancing the ambitions of greater powers.” They also tend to focus on multilateralism and the promotion of international order.
“Most scholars agree that middle powers are international in focus, multilateral in method, and ‘good citizens’ in conduct. Middle powers often turn to international organizations and multilateral agreements as a tool to exercise influence,” writes Cornell. Openness to internal reforms is also instrumental to the sustainability of a middle power.