Rethinking ‘middle powers’ as a category of practice: stratification, ambiguity, and power

Abstract Scholars have attempted to theorise the social structure of international system from perspective ‘middle powers’ for decades. However, scholars struggled agree on essential dispositional characteristics this category actors, stunting theoretical progress. Drawing sociological and literary approaches rhetoric class’ in domestic societies, article shifts terms debate away asking who are or what their ‘essence’ is , ask actors do with term practice. Combining contributing scholarship hierarchy relations, I recast as a practice argue that one term's main uses differentiate certain status-anxious states – hold no real prospect achieving great power status ‘small states’ occupy lowest stratum stratification within ‘grading powers’. Following an illustrative case study Australian Canadian attempts establish power’ 1940s, then outlines contributions argument world politics.