A rivalry can be defined as “a perceptual categorizing process in which actors identify which states are sufficiently threatening competitors”. Political scientist John A.
Rivalries traverse many different fields within society and “abound at all levels of human interaction”, often existing between friends, firms, sports teams, schools, and universities. Furthermore, “amilies, politicians, political parties, ethnic groups, regional sections of countries, and states all engage in enduring rivalries of varying length and intensity”. Rivalries develop from the product of competition and ritualism between different parties.In some cases, rivalry can become “so consuming that actors worry only about whether their actions will harm or benefit their rivals”.
