Deterrence logic makes power asymmetries screen which contests count as crises.

Evidence

Due to the logic of deterrence, differences in power between disputants, which affect their resolve in pursuing their demands in crisis bargaining, play an important role in determining whether a particular contest between states will be selected into the pool of international crises (Morrow 1989; Fearon 2002). Since changes to intension involve selection effects, we expect the relationship between power and crisis behavior to be particularly affected by changes to the crisis concept. — Gary Goertz, Social Science Concepts, 1010

Categorization

• XREF: Echoes the power-asymmetry analysis in A Very Minor Prophet? No — better: connects to Fearon-style bargaining-of-war arguments about asymmetric resolve.