4 - Small states in a region of bigger powers: Varied strategies of Brunei Darussalam and Singapore

Small states possess great urgency to address issues of political and economic survival but often encounter challenges in terms of their limited capacity and capabilities (that reduce the flexibility of what they can do) and the broader geopolitical climate where they reside. Yet, small states find ways to strategise their responses, at times in their favour, and at other times in contrition to expectations. With about 150 small states around the world today, this paper seeks to explore how small states manage their foreign policies in the midst of great global flux. Specifically, this paper looks at how Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, two small states in the Southeast Asia region, navigate their policies to maximise their rewards in a geopolitical environment that contains larger powers such as Indonesia and is often seen as a field for great power competition (vis-à-vis US and China). This paper makes use of shelter theory to analyse the two countries. Shelter theory describes how small states are dependent on the economic, political and societal shelter provided by larger states and regional and international organisations in order to survive and prosper.

Co-Author 1
Pushpa Thambipillai, Independent Scholar, formerly with Universiti Brunei Darussalam and ISEAS Singapore.

Co-Author 2
Amanda Huan, Associate Research Fellow, Nanyang Technological University,