Comparative Foreign Policy
PS 168
Prof. S. Sample
Office hours:
MWF 11-12
T: 9.30-12
MWF:
Office:
Phone:
Email:
9.30-11.00
G. Wilson upstairs
946-2492
ssample@pacific.edu
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….
 Demonstrate an understanding of the basic theoretical literature regarding the making
of foreign policy
 Demonstrate a familiarity of the foreign policy history of several major states in the
international system
 Demonstrate a familiarity of the foreign policy challenges facing those countries in the
current international system
 Demonstrate an understanding of the foreign policy challenges of states that are not
major powers in the IR system
 Demonstrate an ability to analyze the foreign policy of a country or group of countries
within a theoretical framework or frameworks
 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
Final Exam
Final draft of paper
25%
30
20
Paper proposal/annot. bib
Interim draft of paper
Participation
05
05
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
Jan 16:
No classes
Jan 23:
Read: Neack, chptr 1,
“Introduction: A New Approach
to Foreign Policy”
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 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 13:
Cognitive approaches to foreign
policy making.
Read: (OR) “A Cognitive
Approach to the Study of Foreign
Wednesday
Jan 18:
Theoretical Review:
The levels of analysis and
international relations theory as
they apply to CFP.
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
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 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 15:
Read: Neack, chptr 2, “The
Individual Level of Analysis:
Leaders, Rational Choices,
Cognition, and Morality; (OR)
Friday
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 27:
Read: (OR) Essence of Decision,
pp. 13-54 and 77-129.
Feb 3:
Read: (OR) “Bureaucratic
Politics: A Paradigm and Some
Policy Implications” by G.
Allison and Morton Halperin
Feb 10:
Read: (OR) “Role of Ethnic
Interest Groups in US Foreign
Policy,” Haney and Vanderbush
Feb 17:
Read: (OR) Khong, pp. 3-46 and
pp. 209-263; (OR) “Foreign
Policy Metaphors: Falling
‘Dominoes’ and Drug ‘Wars’” by
Policy” by Jerel Rosati
Feb 20:
“Hypotheses on Misperception”
by Robert Jervis
Feb 22:
States and IOs
NO CLASSES
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 27:
March 1:
Discussion; exam review
Midterm Exam
Keith Shimko.
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.
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:
March 15:
March 17:
SPRING BREAK
SPRING BREAK
SPRING BREAK
Mar 20:
Mar 22:
Mar 24:
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”
March 27:
Discussion on US foreign policy
Chinese Foreign Policy
Read: (OR) “Chinese Foreign
Policy in Theory and Practice” by
Kim, chptr 1 in China and the
World, ed. by Samuel Kim.
Read: (OR) “Structure and
Process in the Making of Chinese
Foreign Policy” by D. Bachman,
chapter 2 in China and the World.
Read: (H) “Modernization,
Nationalism, and Regionalism in
China” by Q. Zhao; (B) “China:
Defining its Role in the Global
Community” by Ripley.
March 29:
March 31:
Chinese Foreign Policy
Read: (OR) “Multilateralism in
Chinese Foreign Policy” by
Hongying Wang in Asian Survey,
May 2000, v40 i3 p475; ChengChwee, “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 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 17:
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 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 19:
Indian Foreign Policy
NO CLASSES
April 24:
Read: (OR) Chiriyankandath,
“Realigning India: Indian
Foreign Policy after the Cold
War”
May 1:
Read: (B) “Mexico: Balancing
Sovereignty and
Interdependence” by Michael
Snarr
May 8:
Wrap up; Review for Exam
Final draft of paper due at
9.30am
Read: (B) “The Changing
Character of Indian Foreign
Policy” by Paul Hoyt.
April 26:
Read: (H) “Iran’s Ambivalent
World Role” by M. Milani in
Hook
May 3:
Read: (OR) “New Zealand’s
Foreign Policy…” by D. McCraw
in Pacific Affairs, Spring 1994,
v67 n1 p7.
April 7:
“The Evolution of German
Foreign Policy” by Lantis, and
“Russian Foreign Policy…” by
D’Anieri
April 14:
Read: (OR) Jordaan, “The
Concept of a Middle Power in
International Relations”;
Bischoff, ‘South Africa as a
Middle Power’
April 21:
Read: (H) “The Shifting
Landscape of Indian Foreign
Policy” by Raju Thomas.
April 28:
Foreign policy away from the
“center”
Read: (OR) Weatherbee,
“Indonesian Foreign Policy: A
Wounded Phoenix”
May 5:
Read: Neack, chptr 5,
“Conclusion: A Nested Game
with Many Players”
Finals week
May 17, 8 am, Final Exam
Finals week