Theoretical perspectives on the study of status in international relations

Cristóbal Bywaters, profesor asistente, Instituto de Estudios Internacionales, Universidad de Chile. cristobal.bywaters@uchile.cl. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7945-6809

This paper examines recent developments in the literature on “status” (or prestige) in international relations, paying particular attention to the domestic dimension. It proposes a classification into four families: rationalism, social identity, relationalism and social practice. And it argues that they all coincide in conceiving of status as a preeminently interstate phenomenon. Using conceptual analysis and a literature review, it shows how status also operates as an internal domestic resource, particularly in smaller states, where it can be exploited by elites to bolster their legitimacy. The paper identifies three trends in the literature – conceptual expansion, theoretical integration and empirical diversification – and contributes to their circulation in the Spanish-speaking world, encouraging application and refinement in Spain and Latin America. 

Keywords: international relations, status, international hierarchies, foreign policy, domestic legitimation, small states

 How to cite this article: Bywaters, Cristóbal. «Perspectivas teóricas del estudio del estatus en las relaciones internacionales». Revista CIDOB d’Afers Internacionals, n.º 140 (septiembre de 2025), p. 149-171. DOI: doi.org/10.24241/rcai.2025.140.2.149

Revista CIDOB d’Afers Internacionals, nº 140, pp. 149-171
Quadrimestral (May-September 2025)
ISSN:1133-6595 | E-ISSN:2013-035X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24241/rcai.2025.140.2.149

Reception date: 06.01.25  ;  Acceptance date:   26.05.25

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