Abstract
This chapter forms the conceptual core of the book following the main research questions which aim at exploring how BRICS respond to large-scale armed conflict and how we can explain preferences for particular types of action. This chapter provides the reader with a detailed typology. Six ideal type responses are presented ranging from cooperative and multilateralism to neo-imperial and unilateral action. Furthermore, the chapter discusses a number of explanatory variables which have been chosen to explain the choice of response. These are: proximity to conflict, availability of power resources in relation to strategic interests, the type of conflict in terms of its relevance for global order questions, economic consequences of the conflict on BRICS members, the extent to which conflict engagement can resonate with the normative BRICS agenda and lastly responding to conflict in order to act upon global humanitarian norms. The following empirical chapters apply the conceptual framework to four case studies which are Libya, Syria, Ukraine and South Sudan.