Introduction

This introductory chapter outlines the book’s purpose, content and themes. This book examines Norway’s foreign policy in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, with a particular focus on the latter. A broad definition of foreign policy is employed; this includes peace-making and foreign aid, security and defence policies, foreign-trade policy and various types of international political cooperation. Norway has long sought a role as a “good” nation, as well as advocated adherence to international law and has entered into a myriad of multilateral cooperation agreements in all foreign-policy fields. At the same time, its policymakers have been keenly aware of the country’s small-state position in international politics. This has become even more evident after Russia’s more self-assertive actions in the present century. The main theme of the book is how Norway, despite often presenting itself as an idealist and noble state, has maintained a realist approach to its foreign policy, focusing primarily on the advancement of national self-interests.