Accession Number:

AD1069430

Title:

Costa Rica: A Peaceful Nation Ready To Fight

Descriptive Note:

Technical Report

Corporate Author:

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA MONTEREY United States

Personal Author(s):

• Adams,Matthew

Report Date:

2018-12-01

Pagination or Media Count:

75.0

Abstract:

The purpose of this thesis is to assess how a small nation like Costa Rica, which is committed to peace and lacks a military, is able to safeguard national security and territorial sovereignty while responding to a series of hostile external disputes with neighboring Nicaragua. It examines how Costa Ricas actions and decisions in response to these disputes supports or impugns established tenets of international relations theory. Three case studies examine distinct periods of Costa Rican relations with Nicaragua, extending from the abolition of Costa Ricas military in 1948 to the present-day. The findings are evaluated with respect to realist, liberal and constructivist theory. Costa Ricas behavior best supports tenets of constructivist theory as it is undoubtedly influenced by socially constructed norms. These norms include a strong commitment to diplomatic dispute resolution, a general public perception that Nicaragua cannot be trusted and that some domestic capacity to employ force is an acceptable deviation from the nations commitment to diplomacy.

Descriptors:

• international relations
• international organizations
• international law
• national security
• national politics
• intergovernmental organizations
• treaties
• governments
• central america
• diplomacy
• agreements
• political systems
• political ideologies
• foreign policy
• Costa Rica
• liberalism

Subject Categories:

• Government and Political Science
• Military Operations, Strategy and Tactics

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE