U.S. Foreign Policy

Political Science 2446

Spring 2017

Thursday, 3:30 – 6:00 pm

Tompkins Hall, Rm 306

725 23rd St NW

INSTRUCTOR: Jillian Burns

Phone: 301-789-7799

E-mail:

Office hours: Thursdays, 2:00-3:00 pm, 1957 E St., Ste. 303C, Elliott School of International Affairs, and by appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The goal of PS 2446 is to familiarize students with the process, key institutions, and other actors that shape US foreign policy, as well as the tools used to implement this strategy and limitations on those tools. By the end of the course, students should be able to analyze key components of past, present and potential future U.S.foreign policy strategy. The course will focus on analysis of current foreign policy goals, the U.S. policy-making process and the policy-implementing tools available to the U.S. government. Students will apply their knowledge through participation in simulation exercises based on case studies and the writing of policy decision memos. Although we will talk about historical cases, the course is not a chronological history of U.S. foreign policy; the primary focus is on current U.S. policy.

Credit hour policy: 112.5 hours of work per semester is required for a three credit hour course; students should expect to spend 2.5 hours of direct or guided interaction in class, plus 5 hours of independent learning per week during the course of the 15-week semester, including exam week.

COURSE PREREQUISITE

  • PSC 1003 or IAFF 1005

TEXTS

  • America’s Foreign Policy Toolkit: Key Institutions and Processes, Charles A. Stevenson, Sage Publications, 2013
  • Other articles as assigned throughout the semester

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

•Students should understand the major players in U.S. foreign policy and the processes through which foreign policy decisions are made and implemented.

•Students should understand the major historical and intellectual debates surrounding the goals and means of US foreign policy.

•Students should be able to apply their knowledge of U.S. foreign policy – including the policy process and debates about the goals of U.S. foreign policy – to analyze current and future policy challenges facing the United States.

•Students should demonstrate effective writing skills and oral briefing skills.

GENERAL POLICIES:

Use of electronic devices in class: Students must turn off the sound of any electronic device used in class. No calls or texting is permitted in class. The instructor will announce instructions regarding use of electronic devices during any tests in advance.

Communication with instructor: Students can schedule an appointment with me during my standing office hour, Thursdays 2-3 pm, or at a different mutually agreed upon time. Students can contact me any time with questions by email or by phone during business hours (except for Fridays).

Attendance: Attendance is not taken, but much of your grade will come from in-class activities, including weekly current events quizzes, which require your attendance. The final exam and paper assignments will draw on both class discussion and guest speakers.

Course components:

  • Lectures by instructor, class discussion, and guest lecturers (dates TBD)
  • Readings, as assigned
  • 13 weekly current event quizzes – Questions cover major world events, including actions by U.S.officials, that impact U.S. strategic interests. The quiz is given at the beginning of each class. No make-up quizzes will be given, but only the highest 10 grades will count.
  • Questions will be taken from the prior six days of news coverage, using as sources CNN, Washington Post, New York Times, BBC, and NPR. CNN, BBC, and NPR are available for free on the internet;Washington Post offers free subscriptions to students; New York Times student subscription is $1/week. Links below:
  • In-class simulation exercises: Every student will participate in a simulation exercise of a national security council meeting, using the Council on Foreign Relations Model Diplomacy website -
  • Please indicate your top three choices of topics in student survey.
  • Teams and schedule for the simulations will be posted to Blackboard early in the semester.
  • Each student will be graded on the quality of their participation in their simulation.
  • Written assignmentsfor the simulation exercises will be submitted online via the CFR website:
  • 2/2- NSC Guide short answer questions
  • 2/9- Specific Case short answer questions
  • Role-Play Position Memo – due at midnight on the Monday before your simulation exercise)
  • Term paper: max two page policy decision memo(Times New Roman 12 pt., single space, with double spaces between paragraphs) on a specific real-life foreign policy decision that you predict the U.S. government will have to make in the near future. A sample format will be provided. The policy paper will contain analysis of the situation, positions of all relevant stakeholders, policy recommendation, and a draft strategy to enact that policy.
  • 2/2: Please email me your preferred topic, which cannot be the same as your simulation topic. Each student must have a different topic.
  • Papers are to be submitted via Blackboard using Word.
  • Papers will be graded on accuracy of information, analytical clarity, and quality of writing. Points will be deducted for spelling and grammatical mistakes.
  • Papers must includea separate page with full and proper citations to all sources and must be submitted electronically in Word format.
  1. 3/23: Step One - First draft of policy paper due
  2. 4/20: Step Two - Final version of policy paper due
  • Final Exam: Date TBD

IN ACCORD WITH UNIVERSITY POLICY, THE FINAL EXAM WILL BE GIVEN DURING THE FINAL EXAM PERIOD AND NOT THE LAST WEEK OF THE SEMESTER. Final exam dates will be posted in later in the semester.

GRADING BREAKDOWN

  • Weekly Current Events Quizzes (20%) (top 10 grades of 13 quizzes)
  • Simulation Exercise:
  • NSC Guide short answer questions(5%)
  • Specific Case short answer questions (5%)
  • Participation in In-Class Simulation Exercises (10%)
  • Role-Play position memo (10%)
  • Policy Decision MemoPaper:
  • First draft of policy paper (10%)
  • Final version of policy paper (20%)
  • Final Exam (20%)

CLASS POLICIES

Grading:

  • I will grade on the following scale: A (93-100); A- (90-92); B+ (87-89); B (83-86); B- (80-82); C+ (77-79); C (73-76); C- (70-72); D (60-69); F (0-59).
  • Final averages will be rounded off, for example, a final average of 92.5 will be rounded up to an A; a final average of 92.4 will be an A-.
  • The course will not be graded on a curve.
  • Grammar and spelling mistakes are factored into grades.
  • I encourage you to talk to me about any questions you may have about your grade on an assignment or other issues related to coursework.
  • If you would like me to re-grade an assignment, you must submit a written request, explaining why you believe you did not receive the proper grade. If I re-grade an assignment, I reserve the right to raise or lower your grade. I will not raise a grade for the sole purpose of changing a letter grade.
  • Late assignments: Assignments not submitted electronically by midnight on the due date will be considered late. A half letter grade will be deducted for papers submitted later that day, plus a half letter grade for any additional day it is late. If you do not complete the assignment, you will receive a 0.
  • Two exceptions to the late-assignment/missed in-class activity policy: illness or family emergency. If either of these circumstances applies, you must provide written documentation (such as a doctor’s note if you are ill), and you must communicate with me before the assignment is due (i.e., emailing me on the morning the assignment is due and saying you are sick is not acceptable for avoiding a penalty). I am willing to accommodate documented requests, but we must decide on an alternate deadline before the assignment is due.

Religious holidays: If an assignment falls on a day you will be observing a religious holiday, we will work together to find an alternative time to complete the assignment. Please communicate with me about holidays in advance of the original due date.

Blackboard: This course will use Blackboard for announcements and additional readings. You are responsible for ensuring that you have access to Blackboard as soon as possible and for tracking any information I post there.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

I personally support the GW Code of Academic Integrity. It states: “Academic dishonesty is defined as cheating of any kind, including misrepresenting one's own work, taking credit for the work of others without crediting them and without appropriate authorization, and the fabrication of information.” Academic dishonesty will result in appropriate consequences. For the remainder of the code, see:

If you are unsure about any aspect of this policy, or about how to properly cite or attribute work, please ask. The Writing Center ( can also provide assistance on citation or other aspects of writing papers. Claiming ignorance about how or when to cite sources is not an excuse for academic dishonesty.

SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES (DSS):Any student who may need an accommodation based on the potential impact of a disability should contact the Disability Support Services office at 202-994-8250 in the Marvin Center, Suite 242, to establish eligibility and to coordinate reasonable accommodations. For additional information, please refer to:

UNIVERSITY COUNSELING CENTER (UCC)202-994-5300: The University Counseling Center (UCC) offers 24/7 assistance and referral to addressstudents'personal, social, career, and study skillsproblems. Services for students includecrisis and emergency mental health consultations; confidential assessment, counseling services (individual and small group), and referrals.

SECURITY

In the case of an emergency, if at all possible, the class should shelter in place. If the building that the class is in is affected, follow the evacuation procedures for the building. After evacuation, seek shelter at a predetermined rendezvous location. (Please see security appendix to the syllabus, posted on Blackboard.)

GWU Spring Semester 2017

Classes Begin / Tuesday, January 17
Inauguration Day (no classes) / Friday, January 20
President's Day (no classes) / Monday, February 20
Spring Break (no classes) / Monday, March 13 - Saturday, March 18
Last Day of Classes / Monday, May 1
Make-Up/Reading Day / Thursday, May 4 - Friday, May 5
Final Examinations / Monday, May 8 - Tuesday May 16

Course Schedule:

1/19:

  • Course Introduction
  • Sample Current Events Quiz
  • Discussion of Policy Paper project
  • Introductory video to CFR Model Diplomacy
  • Student survey
  • New Administration/New Policy:

1/26:

Current Events Quiz 1

Topic Assignments for Simulation Exercise

White House. Reading for Discussion:

  • America’s Foreign Policy Toolkit: Key Institutions and Processes, Chapter 3: The President’s Toolkit

2/2:

Current Events Quiz 2

Topics Due for Policy Paper

Congress. Readingfor Discussion:

  • America’s Foreign Policy Toolkit: Key Institutions and Processes, Chapter 4: Congress’s Toolkit
  • 2015 National Security Strategy,

Complete NSC Guide short answer assessment, CFR Model Diplomacy,

2/9:

Current Events Quiz 3

Writing Style for Policy Memos

Budget. Readingfor Discussion:

  • America’s Foreign Policy Toolkit: Key Institutions and Processes, Chapter 5: Shared Tools of the Budgetary Process.
  • Heritage Foundation,

Chapters on Defense and State, Foreign Operations and Related Programming

Complete Specific Case short answer questions, CFR Model Diplomacy,

2/16:

Current Events Quiz 4

Diplomatic Tools. Readingfor Discussion:

  • America’s Foreign Policy Toolkit: Key Institutions and Processes, Chapter 6: The Diplomatic Instrument.

2/23:

Current Events Quiz 5

Economic Tools. Readingfor Discussion:

  • America’s Foreign Policy Toolkit: Key Institutions and Processes, Chapter 7: The Economic Instruments.

Simulation Exercise Team 1; Team 1 Role-Play Position Memo Due Midnight 2/20

3/2:

Current Events Quiz 6

Security Tools. Readingfor Discussion:

  • America’s Foreign Policy Toolkit: Key Institutions and Processes, Chapter 8: The Military Instrument.
  • - Chapter 2
  • 2015 National Military Strategy,

Simulation Exercise Team 2; Team 2Role-Play Position Memo Due Midnight 2/27

3/9:

Current Events Quiz 7

Intelligence Tools. Readingfor Discussion:

  • America’s Foreign Policy Toolkit: Key Institutions and Processes, Chapter 9: The Secret Intelligence Instruments.
  • U.S. Drone Policy Guidance,
  • 2016 National Counterintelligence Strategy,

Simulation Exercise 3; Team 3Role-Play Position Memo Due Midnight 3/6

3/16 – No class, Spring Break

3/23:

Current Events Quiz 8

Homeland Security. Readingfor Discussion:

  • America’s Foreign Policy Toolkit: Key Institutions and Processes, Chapter 10: The Homeland Security Instruments.

First Draft of Policy Paper Due

3/30:

Current Events Quiz 9

International Organizations and Nongovernmental Tools. Readingfor Discussion:

  • America’s Foreign Policy Toolkit: Key Institutions and Processes, Chapter 11: The International Institutions Instrument.

Simulation Exercise 4; Team 4Role-Play Position Memo Due Midnight 3/27

4/6:

Current Events Quiz 10

Constraints. Reading for Discussion:

  • America’s Foreign Policy Toolkit: Key Institutions and Processes, Chapter 12: Elephants in the Workshop.
  • How Think Tanks Amplify Corporate America’s Influence, NYT,

Simulation Exercise 5; Team 5Role-Play Position Memo Due Midnight 4/3

4/13:

Current Events Quiz 11

Missing Tools. Readingfor Discussion:

  • America’s Foreign Policy Toolkit: Key Institutions and Processes, Chapter 13: Missing Tools.
  • Heritage Foundation,

Chapters on Defense, State, Treasury, NSC, and ODNI

Simulation Exercise 6; Team 6Role-Play Position Memo Due Midnight 4/10

4/20:

Current Events Quiz 12

Final Draft of Policy Paper Due

4/27: Last day of class

Current Events Quiz 13

Simulation Exercise 7; Team 6 Role-Play Position Memo Due Midnight 4/24

TBD:Final Exam

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