Seeking status and ontological security in hierarchy: Korea in the historical East Asian order

Abstract

This article argues that secondary states in international hierarchy pursue distinctive strategies to define and secure their identities. When and why do they adopt strategy of socialization and emulation? When and why do they prioritize security of identity even at the expense of physical security? To address these questions, I empirically examine the relationships between Korea and imperial China during the Ming and Qing dynasties. I ask why ChosŏFOR VERIFICATIONn Korea chose to voluntarily subordinate to the Ming, and why it risked its survival during the period of obvious power transition with the rise of the Qing. I develop a theory of secondary states' identity-seeking based on social identity theory and ontological security studies. Theoretically, it suggests a new mechanism in which secondary states' status-seeking generates a lock-in effect through deep socialization. Empirically, it adds to the growing literature on historical East Asian international relations by explicitly theorizing secondary states' quest for identity.