Comparative Foreign Policy
PS 168
Prof. S. Sample MWF: 9.30-11.00
Office hours: Office: G. Wilson upstairs
MWF 11-12 Phone: 946-2492
T: 9.30-12 Email:
Foreign policy is where the action is. Every discussion of how states relate to one another is, at its base, a question of how foreign policy is made. In this course, we will spend roughly the first half of the class examining the theoretical literature on how policy is made. Are states rational, unitary actors? Does human psychology matter? If so, how? Are interest groups really relevant to how policy is made? The second half of the class will examine the foreign policies of several countries in the international system, including big, but diverse countries, “middle powers,” and smaller or poorer states.
Required texts:
Hook, Steven. Comparative Foreign Policy: Adaptation Strategies of the Great and Emerging Powers
Beasley, Ryan; Juliet Kaarbo, et al. Foreign Policy in Comparative Perspective: Domestic & International Influence
Neack, Laura. The New Foreign Policy: US and Comparative Foreign Policy in the 21st Century. (You may need to order it—the bookstore said it wasn’t in print—Amazon certainly has it….)
Other readings are on reserve.
Learning objectives—by the end of the semester, you should be able to….
à Demonstrate an understanding of the basic theoretical literature regarding the making of foreign policy
à Demonstrate a familiarity of the foreign policy history of several major states in the international system
à Demonstrate a familiarity of the foreign policy challenges facing those countries in the current international system
à Demonstrate an understanding of the foreign policy challenges of states that are not major powers in the IR system
à Demonstrate an ability to analyze the foreign policy of a country or group of countries within a theoretical framework or frameworks
à Engage in productive library research, demonstrated through your individual research projects
Course Requirements:
Please be aware that examples of your work may be saved for evaluating the course and program of which they are a part.
Midterm Exam 25% Paper proposal/annot. bib 05
Final Exam 30 Interim draft of paper 05
Final draft of paper 20 Participation 15
Research Paper: You will write a research paper of 12-15 pages on some aspect of foreign policy during this semester. You will be expected to propose an interesting question, discuss the theoretical literature that relates to that question, propose your own method for addressing the question, and discuss your findings and their implications for the issues you talked about in the review of the literature. At two points in the term, you will turn in pieces of the paper in draft form that will be graded, but I will read other drafts if you want, too. We will talk about the requirements for the paper in class.
Late Papers: Papers are due at the start of class. Same day, after class is late and will be penalized based on my whim of the moment. Turned in the next day, they automatically lose 15 points. Turned in on the second day, they automatically lose 40 points. And so on. They cannot be turned in for credit after a full weekend or break. Printer problems are considered poor excuses—please do not start printing out five minutes before class and then beg me for dispensation because the printer didn’t work. Think ahead.
Attendance Policy: If you miss class or are late with any regularity, expect to lose your entire participation grade. Absences are not excused, but the first or even second might be overlooked with little penalty.
Learning or Physical Disabilities: If you need accommodations because of a certified learning or physical disability, you must contact the learning Disabilities Support Office or the Disable Student Services Office in Bannister Hall each semester to inform them of your schedule and need for accommodation. Be aware that professors are kept on a “need to know” basis—your privacy is maintained, and we are only told what we need to know to accommodate your learning needs.
Honor Code: You can find the Honor Code in the Student Handbook Tiger Lore. You are expected to abide by the terms of the Pacific Honor Code as found in Tiger Lore. Don’t cheat, don’t plagiarize, don’t harass people, and don’t enable others to do these things. I will fail you and report you to Student Life for hopefully severe penalties. Cheaters not seeking an education are a waste of university resources.
Course schedule: Please prepare readings for the day on which they are listed. Some days the reading is heavier than others, so it would be a good idea to have a look at the whole schedule now, so you can think out your strategies for preparation. OR=On Reserve; B=Beasley, Kaarbo, et al.; H=Hook
Monday Wednesday Friday
Jan 16:No classes / Jan 18:
Theoretical Review:
The levels of analysis and international relations theory as they apply to CFP. / Jan 20:
Read: (B)“The Analysis of Foreign Policy in Comparative Perspective” by Kaarbo, et al.; (H) chapter 1; (OR) Essence of Decision, pp 1-10.
Jan 23:
Read: Neack, chptr 1, “Introduction: A New Approach to Foreign Policy” / Jan 25:
The traditional approach: the rational model of policymaking.
Read: (OR) “International Conflict and International Anarchy”, chapter 6 by Waltz; Neack, chptr 4, “The System Level of Analysis: Power, Position, and Foreign Policy Behavior”—on further consideration, I might shoulda had them read this for Monday, and then EofD 13-54 for Wednesday / Jan 27:
Read: (OR) Essence of Decision, pp. 13-54 and 77-129.
Jan 30:
The nexus between international and domestic politics: models of govt.
Read: (B) “Domestic and International Influences on Foreign Policy: A Comparative Perspective” by Beasley and Snarr; (OR) “Domestic Political Explanations in the Analysis of Foreign Policy” by Joe Hagan / Feb 1:
Read: (OR) “Linking State Type with Foreign Policy Behavior” by Laura Neack; Neack, chptr 3, “The State Level of Analysis: National Culture, Institutions, Domestic Politics, and Society” / Feb 3:
Read: (OR) “Bureaucratic Politics: A Paradigm and Some Policy Implications” by G. Allison and Morton Halperin
Feb 6:
State level. Role of interest groups/pluralist conceptualization of the state
Read: (OR) “Public Opinion and National Security Policy: Relationships and Impacts” by Russett and Graham / Feb 8:
Read: (OR) “State Strength, Permeability, and Foreign Policy Behavior: Jordan in Theoretical Perspective” by Bassel Salloukh in Arab Studies Quarterly, Spring 1996 v18 n2 p39 / Feb 10:
Read: (OR) “Role of Ethnic Interest Groups in US Foreign Policy,” Haney and Vanderbush
Feb 13:
Cognitive approaches to foreign policy making.
Read: (OR) “A Cognitive Approach to the Study of Foreign Policy” by Jerel Rosati / Feb 15:
Read: Neack, chptr 2, “The Individual Level of Analysis: Leaders, Rational Choices, Cognition, and Morality; (OR) “Hypotheses on Misperception” by Robert Jervis / Feb 17:
Read: (OR) Khong, pp. 3-46 and pp. 209-263; (OR) “Foreign Policy Metaphors: Falling ‘Dominoes’ and Drug ‘Wars’” by Keith Shimko.
Feb 20:
NO CLASSES / Feb 22:
States and IOs
Read: (OR) The Role of Multilateralism and the UN in Post-Cold War US Foreign Policy by Shona Dodds, pp. 1-9, 28-53, 184-220 / Feb 24:
Read: Kuroda, “Japan-based NGOs in Pursuit of Human Security”
Due to turn in: 3 page paper proposal, plus projected bibliography with at least six entries annotated.
Feb 27:
Discussion; exam review / March 1:
Midterm Exam / Mar 3:
US Foreign Policy
Read: (OR) “Lucid Stars: the American Foreign Policy Tradition” by Walter Mead in World Policy Journal, Winter 1994, v11 n4 p1.
March 6:
Read: (OR) “Diplomacy in the Modern World” by George Kennan. / Mar 8:
Read: The History of US Foreign Policy by Spanier and Hook (book on reserve), chapter 1 and appendix B, pp 312-324. / Mar 10:
Read: Spanier and Hook, pp 226-309.
Last Day to Drop Classes
March 13:
SPRING BREAK / March 15:
SPRING BREAK / March 17:
SPRING BREAK
Mar 20:
Read: (OR) “Strategy and Preventive Diplomacy: US Foreign Policy and Humanitarian Intervention” by A. Garfinkle in ORBIS, Fall 2001 v45 i4; Goldsmith and Horiuchi, “American Foreign Policy and Global Opinion” / Mar 22:
Discussion on US foreign policy / Mar 24:
Chinese Foreign Policy
Read: (H) “Modernization, Nationalism, and Regionalism in China” by Q. Zhao; (B) “China: Defining its Role in the Global Community” by Ripley.
March 27:
Read: (OR) “Chinese Foreign Policy in Theory and Practice” by Kim, chptr 1 in China and the World, ed. by Samuel Kim. / March 29:
Read: (OR) “Structure and Process in the Making of Chinese Foreign Policy” by D. Bachman, chapter 2 in China and the World. / March 31:
Chinese Foreign Policy
Read: (OR) “Multilateralism in Chinese Foreign Policy” by Hongying Wang in Asian Survey, May 2000, v40 i3 p475; Cheng-Chwee, “Multilateralism in China’s ASEAN Policy.”
April 3:
Read: (OR) “Human Rights in Chinese Foreign Policy” by J. Seymour, chapter 10 in China and the World. Wu, “Passion, Politics, and Politicians: Beijing between Taipei and Washington” / April 5:
Europe: Separate? Together?
Read: (OR) Wallace, “The Collapse of British Foreign Policy”; (B) “French Foreign Policy: The Wager on Europe…” by Kramer / April 7:
“The Evolution of German Foreign Policy” by Lantis, and “Russian Foreign Policy…” by D’Anieri
April 10:
Read: (H) “European Union Foreign Policy: Still an Oxymoron?” by Sperling in Hook; (OR) Blair, “European Union Foreign Policy”
Due to turn in: Interim draft of your paper. Should include introduction of question, review of the relevant theoretical literature, and explanation of how you are going to address the question. / April 12:
The role of “Middle powers” in the system
Read: (OR) from Relocating Middle Powers by Cooper, Higgott, and Nossal, pp. 3-82 and 172-180. / April 14:
Read: (OR) Jordaan, “The Concept of a Middle Power in International Relations”; Bischoff, ‘South Africa as a Middle Power’
April 17:
NO CLASSES / April 19:
Indian Foreign Policy
Read: (B) “The Changing Character of Indian Foreign Policy” by Paul Hoyt. / April 21:
Read: (H) “The Shifting Landscape of Indian Foreign Policy” by Raju Thomas.
April 24:
Read: (OR) Chiriyankandath, “Realigning India: Indian Foreign Policy after the Cold War” / April 26:
Read: (H) “Iran’s Ambivalent World Role” by M. Milani in Hook / April 28:
Foreign policy away from the “center”
Read: (OR) Weatherbee, “Indonesian Foreign Policy: A Wounded Phoenix”
May 1:
Read: (B) “Mexico: Balancing Sovereignty and Interdependence” by Michael Snarr / May 3:
Read: (OR) “New Zealand’s Foreign Policy…” by D. McCraw in Pacific Affairs, Spring 1994, v67 n1 p7. / May 5:
Read: Neack, chptr 5, “Conclusion: A Nested Game with Many Players”
May 8:
Wrap up; Review for Exam
Final draft of paper due at 9.30am