A Critical Analysis on Hedging in Foreign Policy; Definitions and Typologies

Introduction: States in the international arena utilize various strategies to advance their foreign policy interests. Over the past two decades, "hedging" has emerged in academic and policy circles as a critical concept referring to a specific type of foreign policy strategy. During this period, numerous studies have explored the hedging strategies adopted by different states across various regions of the world. Scholarly arguments suggest that certain states, particularly over the last three decades, have successfully adopted this strategy, albeit based on contingent conceptualizations. In other words, many analyses posit that hedging is a contingent strategy for contingent states in contingent times and situations. Consequently, the literature currently presents a fragmented array of perceptions, including diverse definitions and typologies, of this strategy. However, like other foreign policy strategies, hedging requires a clear, universal perception that can be applied across all states, times, and contexts. Therefore, the central question of this article is: What is the appropriate conceptualization of the hedging strategy that can be universally applied to all states, times, and contexts? Given the descriptive and analytical nature of this study, the answer to this question is not presented as a hypothesis. Instead, answering it requires a critical analysis of existing definitions and typologies, a comparative evaluation of the current literature, and the proposal of a refined definition and typology for hedging.
Method: The method for data collection in the present study involves library and internet searches, relying on secondary data from books and articles related to hedging in the foreign policy of various countries. The focus of the search is primarily on the theoretical and conceptual discussions within these sources. For data analysis, we will employ qualitative content analysis. Accordingly, all conceptual data pertaining to hedging in foreign policy, as found in the works of various scholars, will be subjected to critical scrutiny.
Discussion and Findings: Analysis of the origin, definition, and typologies of hedging suggests that it is an emerging, and still newly conceptualized, strategy in international relations. Its conceptual development is ongoing and requires further refinement. In this context, the concept has yet to be systematically integrated into many traditional areas of international relations studies, such as international institutions, levels of analysis, positioning within major international relations theories, or the role of advancing interdisciplinary studies.
Conclusion: Framing hedging as an analytical concept allows us to explore the changing dynamics of the regional and international distribution of power. This change has involved not only a global power shift but also significant regional adjustments among actors, particularly in areas like the Middle East, with profound consequences for great powers, middle powers, and small states alike. Within this framework, the central research objective is to assess the feasibility of applying a universally clear concept of hedging to explain the observed contradictions in the foreign policies of governments, especially in recent years.