Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Associate Professor, International Relations, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, International Relations, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran
3 LLM, Regional Studies-Europe, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
The article’s objective is to identify the factors of divergence in the security approaches of Germany and France towards analogous issues, despite their numerous shared characteristics. To find response, a "Strategic Culture" framework is proposed, comprised of a set of variables in three principal analytical levels (domestic, regional, and extra-regional). By elucidating the nuances and different behaviors in the security approaches of the two countries, for instance, the article could demonstrate why Germany adopted an unexpected stance, contrary to its conventional non-military approach, over the seizure of the British Stena Epimpro oil tanker.
The article found Germany's Strategic Culture pursuing of European security inextricably linked to its European identity, whereas in France, the pursuit of European security is inextricably linked to the ideology of de Gaulleism. German's networked and pervasive perception of threats validate military actions to maintain international stability and security. In contrast, French elite's perception of the country's geopolitical position in distant regions such as Africa, puts military action, even if unilateral, in priorities of country's Strategic Culture. A comparison of two countries strategic cultures shows; Despite their commitment to the supranational institution (European Union) they diverge in extra-regional level (attitude towards NATO and definition of geopolitical areas).
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