Maintaining Neutrality in Modern Europe

Maintaining Neutrality in Modern Europe examines how states and societies have actively navigated the contested space between belligerence and alliance from the nineteenth century to today, revealing neutrality as a deliberate, emotionally charged political strategy rather than passive non-involvement. Through eight compelling chapters featuring European case studies - the Netherlands and Switzerland during the World Wars, Belgium under German occupation, and the German Bund's role in post-1815 security – the collection challenges the prevailing assumption that neutrality is simply the absence of a choice. Instead, its contributors demonstrate that non-alignment was an active, continuously contested, and emotionally charged political strategy. The volume makes two significant interventions. First, it bridges the largely separate literatures of diplomatic and military history on the one hand and international relations scholarship on "hedging" on the other, arguing for cross-fertilisation between empirically rich historical case studies and theoretically sophisticated IR frameworks. Second, it expands the scope of neutrality studies by incorporating cultural and emotional history, treating neutrality as mindset as well as policy. This book is essential reading for scholars and postgraduate students specializing in diplomatic history, security studies, and international relations. It will also appeal to informed general readers, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to understand the historical roots and contemporary relevance of neutrality in an increasingly polarized world.