War of Roles: National Role Conceptions, Altercasting, and U.S.- China Rivalry in the War in Ukraine

Abstract

This article explores the behaviors of the U.S. and China regarding the war in Ukraine from a role theory perspective. The developments on the ground reveal that the American and Chinese positions on the Russia-Ukraine war should be viewed not independently from each other but within the context of their global strategic competition as well as the roles they attribute to themselves, known as national role conceptions, and the roles they attribute to one another, known as altercasting. From that point of view, the study argues that the war in Ukraine is not only a war of geopolitical significance between the West and Russia, but it is also a war of roles between the U.S. and China.

Keywords

• U.S.
• China
• role theory
• national role conceptions
• altercasting
• Russia-Ukraine war

References

1. References are indicated in the article.