Abstract

Liberal approaches to international relations focus on the domestic politics that shape the foreign and security policies of states, as well as the external constraints and pressures they encounter in their interactions with other states and non-state actors, including international institutions. They hold that explaining state behavior and the international relations of a region requires an account of the interactions of these various factors. This chapter notes that liberal approaches have not been generally favored by analysts of South Asia's international relations. It argues that liberal approaches can, however, be useful in explaining some key features, including the enduring tension between India and Pakistan, the frequency of interstate and internal conflict, the relative failure of inclusive regional multilateralism, and the engagement of South Asian states in a range of other minilateral and multilateral initiatives.