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@article{ Nymalm2019, title = {Comparative exceptionalism: universality and particularity in foreign policy discourses}, author = {Nymalm, Nicola and Plagemann, Johannes}, journal = {International Studies Review}, number = {1}, pages = {12–37}, volume = {21}, year = {2019}, issn = {1468-2486}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1093/isr/viy008}, urn = {https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-61777-3}, abstract = {Existing research on exceptionalism in foreign policy suggests a number of confrontational features making it a threat to peaceful international relations. Largely based on US and European cases, and hardly ever taking a comparative approach, this literature overlooks a variety of exceptionalisms in non-Western countries, including so called "rising powers" such as China and India. A comparison between exceptionalist foreign policy discourses of the United States, China, India, and Turkey shows that exceptionalism is neither exclusive to the United States, nor a "new" phenomenon within rising powers, nor necessarily confrontational, unilateralist, or exemptionalist. As a prerequisite for comparative work, we establish two features common to all exceptionalist foreign policy discourses. In essence, such discourses are informed by supposedly universal values derived from a particular civilization heritage or political history. In order to systematize different versions of exceptionalism, we then propose four ideal types, each of which reflects exceptionalism's common trait of a claim to moral superiority and uniqueness but diverges across other important dimensions, with implications for its potentially offensive character. The article concludes by formulating a research agenda for future comparative work on exceptionalist foreign policy discourses and their repercussions for great power relations and global politics.}, keywords = {Theorie; methodology; theory; Außenpolitik; foreign policy; Methodik; comparative research; vergleichende Forschung; Diskurs; discourse}}