Where Eagles Do Not Dare. Moderate Revisionism in International Politics

When and how do great and middle powers moderately challenge the status quo? These compelling questions have largely been overlooked in International Relations literature, which typically views the cyclical rise of revolutionary revisionist great powers as an unchanging aspect of international politics. Conventional thinking suggests that after peace or major agreements are established, a new international status quo emerges, provoking major dissatisfied states to challenge it. Sometimes, these challenges escalate to full-scale wars or intense competitions with the status quo powers—those committed to defending and maintaining current conditions. Yet, revisionism does not always manifest as great power war or outright competition; it can take more moderate forms.

This book addresses this neglected puzzle with two key aims. The first is explicative, seeking to provide a solid and novel causal explanation of this recurring phenomenon in international politics. The second aim is typological: to construct a more nuanced and precise typology of revisionism that focuses on foreign policy means. To validate its new theoretical framework, the book examines three case studies—the United States, Italy, and China—spanning three distinct regions and historical contexts and featuring diverse political regimes: the late 19th century, the interwar period, and the Cold War.

Lorenzo Termine is Max Weber Fellow at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute. He earned his PhD in Political Studies and later served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Sapienza University of Rome. He is an Adjunct Professor of International Relations at the University of International Studies in Rome (UNINT). In addition, he is affiliated with Sapienza's CEMAS Research Centre and the Centre for Geopolitical and International Relations Studies “Geopolitica.info”. He has contributed to the Italian Ministry of Defense’s Institute of Research and Analysis and held visiting scholar positions at Georgetown University and the Atlantic Council.