“No future for Libya with Gaddafi”: classical realism, status and revenge in the UK intervention in Libya
Why did Britain intervene in Libya in 2011? Several explanations suggest themselves: security, R2P and status. The article shows that status was a significant motivating factor, and this demonstrates a dynamic that helps to refine a classical realist theory of intervention. The article calls for sta...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Routledge
2021
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/65091/ |
| _version_ | 1848800185262538752 |
|---|---|
| author | Dawson, Grant |
| author_facet | Dawson, Grant |
| author_sort | Dawson, Grant |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Why did Britain intervene in Libya in 2011? Several explanations suggest themselves: security, R2P and status. The article shows that status was a significant motivating factor, and this demonstrates a dynamic that helps to refine a classical realist theory of intervention. The article calls for status to be seen intrinsically and instrumentally, and for more attention to be paid to the related motive of revenge. The findings suggest (though do not prove from a causal standpoint) that status may be a stronger motive than security for state decision-makers. The article’s central empirical argument is that regime change in Libya was not the last stage of Britain’s foreign policy of intervention. Rather, intervention was the last stage in Britain’s status and revenge-driven foreign policy of regime change. Britain saw the Libya crisis as a chance to preserve its great power status and revenge Muammar Gaddafi for past wrongs. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:47:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-65091 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:47:32Z |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publisher | Routledge |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-650912021-04-12T06:54:20Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/65091/ “No future for Libya with Gaddafi”: classical realism, status and revenge in the UK intervention in Libya Dawson, Grant Why did Britain intervene in Libya in 2011? Several explanations suggest themselves: security, R2P and status. The article shows that status was a significant motivating factor, and this demonstrates a dynamic that helps to refine a classical realist theory of intervention. The article calls for status to be seen intrinsically and instrumentally, and for more attention to be paid to the related motive of revenge. The findings suggest (though do not prove from a causal standpoint) that status may be a stronger motive than security for state decision-makers. The article’s central empirical argument is that regime change in Libya was not the last stage of Britain’s foreign policy of intervention. Rather, intervention was the last stage in Britain’s status and revenge-driven foreign policy of regime change. Britain saw the Libya crisis as a chance to preserve its great power status and revenge Muammar Gaddafi for past wrongs. Routledge 2021-03-23 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en cc_by https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/65091/1/%E2%80%9CNo%20future%20for%20Libya%20with%20Gaddafi%E2%80%9D%20Classical%20realism%2C%20status%20and%20revenge%20in%20the%20UK%20intervention%20in%20Libya.pdf Dawson, Grant (2021) “No future for Libya with Gaddafi”: classical realism, status and revenge in the UK intervention in Libya. Cambridge Review of International Affairs . pp. 1-18. ISSN 0955-7571 Libya intervention; classical realism; status; revenge; R2P http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09557571.2021.1888879 doi:10.1080/09557571.2021.1888879 doi:10.1080/09557571.2021.1888879 |
| spellingShingle | Libya intervention; classical realism; status; revenge; R2P Dawson, Grant “No future for Libya with Gaddafi”: classical realism, status and revenge in the UK intervention in Libya |
| title | “No future for Libya with Gaddafi”: classical realism, status and revenge in the UK intervention in Libya |
| title_full | “No future for Libya with Gaddafi”: classical realism, status and revenge in the UK intervention in Libya |
| title_fullStr | “No future for Libya with Gaddafi”: classical realism, status and revenge in the UK intervention in Libya |
| title_full_unstemmed | “No future for Libya with Gaddafi”: classical realism, status and revenge in the UK intervention in Libya |
| title_short | “No future for Libya with Gaddafi”: classical realism, status and revenge in the UK intervention in Libya |
| title_sort | “no future for libya with gaddafi”: classical realism, status and revenge in the uk intervention in libya |
| topic | Libya intervention; classical realism; status; revenge; R2P |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/65091/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/65091/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/65091/ |