Joel Balicki

Research Proposal

1. The question asked for the purposes of this research is, how does realism and strategic culture explain Poland’s national security strategy in regard to Russia? I plan to argue that realism and strategic culture accurately explain Poland’s national security strategy in regard to Russia. The core differences between Poland and Russia will be identified and explained to better understand how Poland views itself in relation to Russia. Russia has always been a significant threat to Poland and current events such as the Russian invasion of Georgia in 2008 and Crimea in 2014 have done nothing but make that threat even more real. Poland faces a dilemma in that it cannot stand alone against the Russian giant, but also not solely rely on outside forces such as NATO to come to their defense. There has been a significant increase in the quality and growth of the Polish military in recent years. This does a great deal to help increase their overall power, especially as United States interests in Eastern Europe seem to be fading. In addition, history, politics, religion, and ideology also play a large role in Polish mentality toward Russia and their decision making regarding national security strategy.
2. This research is very relevant because Russia is an ever present threat to Poland and other European states. Poland sits geographically in East-central Europe. They are the first major democratic state and EU member state that would potentially face a Russian onslaught. An emphasis on Polish democratic values and “Ideological Westernization” are key components of Poland’s views and their stance against Russia. This is an intriguing topic because the rift between Poland and Russia is a largely ideological battle, heavily fueled by a violent past as well as religious and cultural differences. I hope to better understand the Polish-Russian state of affairs especially regarding nation-state security. This weak and volatile relationship is intriguing indeed, an analysis as to why it is that way is something that I would like to investigate further. In my opinion, Eastern Europe seems to have been thrown to the way side or completely forgotten altogether in the eyes of the general public, and in many ways academia as well. So very often we hear of Western European nations such as France, England, and Germany taking the headlines. How often do we hear about Poland, Belarus, and Ukraine? Unless of course that is a particular area of interest for someone. By informing the public about events in Eastern Europe, a better grasp of general European affairs will increase. The United States and Poland are allies as well as members of NATO, so a conflict with Russia would involve the lives of people from both countries. This research fits into global studies because it is through the lens of two international relations theories Realism and Security Culture. These theories deal with states interactions and ideologies that can help to better explain political and military decision making. Great international relations thinkers such as Jeffrey Lantis and Stephen Walt will be addressed in the research. Nation-state security and strategy will be heavily analyzed providing a better understanding of geopolitical conflict and resolution.
3. I plan to use the theoretical frameworks of Realism and Security Culture as previously mentioned. Jeffrey Lantis and Stephen Walt are two major thinkers in these theories. Their input will be of utmost importance. I will defend my research question and thesis by providing ample evidence that Realism and Security Culture can accurately describe and explain Polish national security policy. Realism’s main argument is that our world is in a state of anarchy and states are constantly seeking more power, especially in relation to others. Polish national security decisions are based on seeking more power for the Polish state. Russia is the regional hegemon so Poland faces a security dilemma. By going a step further and investigating the underlying differences between Poland and Russia I can analyze the conflict between Poland and Russia and in turn, describe why Poland at its core, is an ideologically realist state. Some underlying causes of ideological separation could include political, historic, religious, and linguistic differences. The generality of Realism and intricacy of Security Culture in tandem, create an explanation for Poland’s national security stance toward Russia.