USA:s mångfacetterade strategi i Myanmar En komparativ analys av liberalism och realism i amerikansk utrikespolitik

Abstract

This thesis examines the USA’s response to the military coup in Myanmar 2021 through a comparative analysis of the two dominant international relations theories: realism and liberalism. The study uses a qualitative text analysis of the US Burma act of 2021 to test the explanatory power of the theories in the formulation of US policy. The results shows that liberal theory has the greater explanatory power, as the US response was systematically motivated by a normative desire to restore democracy in Myanmar. However, some realist tendencies could be observed, especially through exception clauses preserving US national security interest and the mention of China’s support for the military junta in Myanmar. The study shows that even though US policy is primarily characterized by liberal norms, realist strategic considerations can exist in the background. The paper thus contributes to a broader understanding of how realism and liberalism can complement each other, rather than be seen as mutually exclusive in the understanding of US foreign policy.