Relevance of two level game theory in analyzing Sri Lanka s foreign policy (1983-1995)

Abstract

This research paper is purely theory oriented and it explains the relevance of two level game theory in analyzing Sri Lanka?s foreign policy as a small state. The two level game theory explains the foreign policy behavior of a country on the basis of internal and external compulsions. Since 1983 Sri Lanka?s ethnic crisis became the principal domestic issue that predominated its relations with outside world. The dominance of ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka?s responses to external compulsions and vice versa is very much significant since 1983 communal riots. The small state foreign policy behavior is expected to be dominated by external compulsions where as they are very much vulnerable for the external influences. This is the popular notion of second image analysis of foreign policy explanation of a small state. But this paper aims at evaluating both the top down and bottom up approaches in small state foreign policy with special reference to Sri Lanka and its ethnic crisis. Secondary data related to the aim of this paper through two level analyses provide insights to the research objective. Findings conclude that in the Sri Lankan context the two level factors equally and sometimes predominantly play the vital role in determining foreign policy behavior. The second image and the second image reversed explanation in certain issues incorporate the perception of the decision makers as an important aspect in this analysis.