This volume investigates how the concept of social roles functions as a primary analytical framework for understanding state behavior and foreign policy decision-making in the international system. The editors, Sebastian Harnisch, Cornelia Frank, and Hanns W. Maull, compile contributions from various scholars to bridge the gap between sociological role theory and traditional international relations paradigms. By examining how states perceive their own roles and how these roles are recognized by others, the text argues that identity and expectation are critical drivers of global political interaction. The work synthesizes theoretical foundations with empirical applications to provide a comprehensive view of state agency.

Experts identify this collection as a foundational text for scholars interested in the intersection of identity and foreign policy. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is tailored for advanced students and researchers in political science.