IRS 401: Foreign Policy Analysis

Leatrning Outcomes

At the end of the course, the students should be able to:

1. explain the connection between foreign policy and national interest;
2. identify that foreign policy formulation takes account of domestic and external factors;
3. discuss the composition of the foreign policy elite of a country;
4. analyse the dynamic nature of foreign policy; and
5. highlight examples of foreign policy postures of different countries under different regimes, like French policy of no permanent enemy or permanent friend but permanent national interest under General Charles D’Gualle.

Course Contents

Nature of foreign policy as an activity. Purposes, aims and determinants of foreign policy. Internal and external pressures. Decision-making in foreign policy. Different theories and categories which may be employed. Some selected cases, the American decision to go to war in Korea in 1950. The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. The British decision to join the EEC 1961-1970. The French decision to withdraw from the integrated NATO Command Structure in 1966. Israel decision to go to war in June 1967. Foreign Policy Posture: The French policy of no permanent enemy or permanent friend but permanent national interest under General Charles D’Gualle, America’s Monroe doctrine, the dynamic nature of foreign policy. Foreign policy elite.