One of the shortcomings of foreign policy role theory is its tendency to
black-box the state. Role theorists often assume a national role
conception, without paying too much attention to the domestic political
processes regarding how a role is selected to represent the state out of a
number of potential competing roles. We develop a model of role
contestation and role selection that draws on existing knowledge of
foreign policy creation resulting from competition between governing
elites and opposition, multi-party coalitions, cabinet dynamics, and
bureaucratic politics. We incorporate expectations from role theory to
explain how conflict over role selection may be resolved. The model is
examined in light of the domestic contestation and eventual role selection
processes in Canada after World War II, which led to a much more active
engagement of the country in global affairs.
