Abstract
Purpose: Since 1974, Portugal has been put through a double process of (a) diminishing its relative potential and (b) changing its geopolitical design from the sea to the land. This radical transformation in the direction of a small, land-oriented power did not, however, modify the geography of Portugal or the identity of the Portuguese (sea-oriented).
This paper aims to investigate the research puzzle of the non-interaction between Portuguese geography and identity aspects of the Portuguese as independent variables and its EU membership as dependent variable. Design, Methodology, Approach: The main objective is to test whether the Portuguese geopolitical agent can be identified as the key variable to explain the Portuguese commitment to the EU set of land-oriented policies, and the consequent decay of Portuguese fishing activities and navy status today, as fundamental sectors related to the sea affairs.
Findings: The paper provides evidence to sustain the argument that Portuguese domestic policy-making, in security terms, takes place first at the EU supranational level and that, therefore, conventional national aspirations and traditional narratives do not impact through national institutions. Practical implications: The paper contributes to the research agendas of small powers and geopolitical studies.
Originality/value: The paper applies a model of neoclassical geopolitics to an under-researched topic.