Course Title:
Foreign Policy Analysis
Course Code:
Course Status:
TSU Faculty of Social and Political Studies, Center for Social Sciences.
Elective course for the Interdisciplinary English-language masters program
“Transformation in the South Caucasus”.
Duration:
One Semester
ECTS:
ECTS - 10; Contact hours - 30; Hours for independent work – 220.
Lecturers:
Khatuna Salukvadze (khatunia@yahoo.com),
George Mchedlishvili (gikasmith@yahoo.com).
Course
Objectives:
The course will explore the factors that shape the foreign policy of states. External
and internal factors that influence the decision-making of the leaders responsible for
implementation of foreign policy, as well as their interplay, will be investigated.
We will study a variety of theories (most notably Realism, Liberalism and
Constructivism) as well as behavioral models (Rational Actor, Organizational
Behavior, Governmental Politics, Societal Model etc.).
The consequences and implications of the studied foreign policy moves are also
explored and discussed at length, although a somewhat greater emphasis will be made
on the sources that inform the process of decision-making. In technical terms, we
concentrate primarily on inputs rather than outputs.
The cases to be studied will straddle a wide range of countries and periods (although
most of them of the XX and early XXI century), in order to provide the students with
the comparative perspective, both geographically and historically. In this sense, an
international composition of our group of students is a true asset, and we will
encourage all of them to bring their respective national perspectives to the class
discussions as well as their tests/papers.
Students are expected to deepen their analytical reasoning skills in the realm of
foreign policy, achieve a better comprehension of the role and importance of foreign
policy and its analysis in international affairs, understanding the art of diplomacy as
well as the factors that constrain the scope of decision for a policy-maker. In the
process we also expect the students to sharpen their skills in conducting discussion,
delivering a presentation and drafting a piece in argumentative writing.
Prerequisites:
No prerequisites are required for this course.
Course Format:
The course is calculated for approximately 120 hours of workload, 30 of which are
contact hours (15 classes).
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All classes will be of a seminar format, which will include both conceptual materials
and case discussions. Interactive approach is employed, the students being required to
discuss the reading and voice their opinion on the developments.
Students are required to do readings, and come to the class prepared to engage in
discussion and answer questions on the subject, to present a diagnosis of the problems
presented by the readings and the case, and a plausible solution.
Assessment:
Course grades will be determined based on following assessment:
Class attendance and participation
In-clas quizzes and take-home memos
Mid-term exam
Final exam
- 15%
- 15%
- 30%
- 40%
Class participation grades are assigned by the instructor based on four criteria: (1)
class attendance, (2) the extent to which you ask questions or make comments and
critiques in class that show you have done the readings, (3) your responses to
questions asked by the instructor.
Mid-term exam: After seven weeks of lectures there is a mid-term exam, based
primarily on the reading material the students had passed by the time. In 1.5-hour
time the students will have to answer in mode of short essays to four questions,
analyzing the assigned books or journal articles.
Final exam: It will consists of one 7-10 pages long final paper on a topic of his/her
choice and the in-class part (several questions, similar to the mid-term format). The
final exam will yield 40% to the final grade (20% each part).
Course
Content:
Week 1(Feb 10): Introduction
Week 2 (Feb 17): What is Foreign Policy and Foreign policy Analysis?
Reading: Valerie Hudson, Foreign Policy Decision-Making: A Touchstone for
International Relations Theory in the Twenty First Century, in Richard C.
Snyder, H. W. Bruck, Burton Sapin (eds.), Foreign Policy Decision Making
(Revisited), Palgrave Macmillan, 2002, pp. 1-21.
Margerat G. Hermann & Charles F. Hermann, Who Makes Foreign Policy
decisions and How? in International Studies Quarterly, 1989, 33, pp. 361-387.
Week 3 (Feb 24): History and Evolution of Foreign Policy Analysis
Reading: Valerie Hudson, The History and Evolution of Foreign Policy
Analysis, in Steve Smith, Amelia Hadfield, Tim Dunne (eds.), Foreign Policy:
Theories, Actors, Cases, Oxford University Press, 2008, pp. 11-30
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Week (March 10): Realist Theoretical Framework
Reading: William C. Wohlforth, Realism and Foreign Policy, in Steve Smith,
Amelia Hadfield, Tim Dunne (eds.), Foreign Policy: Theories, Actors, Cases,
Oxford University Press, 2008, pp. 31-48
George Kennan, The Sources of Soviet Conduct,
http://www.historyguide.org/Europe/kennan.html
Week 5 (March 17): Liberalist Perspective
Reading: Michael W. Doyle, Liberalism and Foreign Policy, in Steve Smith,
Amelia Hadfield, Tim Dunne (eds.), Foreign Policy: Theories, Actors, Cases,
Oxford University Press, 2008, pp. 49-70
Robert Jervis, Realism, Neoliberalism and Co-operation, in International
Security, Vol. 24, Summer 1999, pp. 42-63
Bruce Russett, The Fact of Democratic Peace, in Michael Edward Brown, Sean
M. Lynn-Jones, Steven E. Miller (eds), Debating the democratic peace
Week 6 (March 24): Constructivist Perspective
Reading: Jeffrey T. Chekel, Constructivism in Foreign Policy, in Steve Smith,
Amelia Hadfield, Tim Dunne (eds.), Foreign Policy: Theories, Actors, Cases,
Oxford University Press, 2008, pp. 71-82
Alexander Wendt, Four Sociologies of International Politics, in Social Theory
of International Politics, Cambridge University Press, 2006, pp. 1-38
Week 7 (March 31): Introductory Notes on Foreign Policy Decision-making
Reading: Walter Carlsnaes, Janice Gross Stein, in Steve Smith, Amelia
Hadfield, Tim Dunne (eds.), Foreign Policy: Theories, Actors, Cases, Oxford
University Press, 2008, Chapters 5-6 (pp. 85-116)
Week 8 (April 7): The Role of Media and Public Opinion in Foreign Policy Making
Reading: Piers Robinson, The Role of Media and Public Opinion, in Steve
Smith, Amelia Hadfield, Tim Dunne (eds.), Foreign Policy: Theories, Actors,
Cases, Oxford University Press, 2008, pp. 137-153
Lloyd Axworthy, Canada and Anti-Personal Landmines: Human Security as a
Foreign Policy Priority, in Steve Smith, Amelia Hadfield, Tim Dunne (eds.),
Foreign Policy: Theories, Actors, Cases, Oxford University Press, 2008, pp.
229-249
Week 9 (April 14): Mid-term
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Week 10 (April 21): Cuban Missile Crisis: The Rational Actor Model
Reading: Philip D. Zelikow with Graham T. Allison, Essence of Decision:
Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis 2nd edition Longman, 1999, Chapters 1-2,
pp. 13-108
Week 11 (April 28): Cuban Missile Crisis: Organizational Behavior Model
Reading: Philip D. Zelikow with Graham T. Allison, Essence of Decision:
Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis 2nd edition Longman, 1999, Chapters 3-4,
pp. 143-217
Week 12 (May 5): Cuban Missile Crisis: Governmental Politics Model
Reading: Philip D. Zelikow with Graham T. Allison, Essence of Decision:
Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis 2nd edition Longman, 1999, Chapters 5-6,
pp. 255-347
Week 13 (May 12): The Models and Theoretical Framework Revisited
Assignment: movie “13 Days” (2000) – watch and identify each of three
models in the process of decision-making.
Week 14 (May 19): Analyzing the Evolution of Foreign Policy of Georgia
Reading: Stephen Jones, The role of cultural paradigms in Georgian foreign
policy, Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics, Volume 19/3,
2003, Pages 83 – 110
Week 15 (June 2): Foreign Policy of the United States and Russia
Reading: George Friedman, Geopolitics of Russia: Permanent Struggle,
http://www.stratfor.com/analysis/20081014_geopolitics_russia_permanent_str
uggle
George Friedman, The Medvedev Doctrine and American Strategy,
http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/medvedev_doctrine_and_american_strategy
Fareed Zakaria, The New Diplomacy, 1889-1908: The Emergence of Great
Power, in From Wealth to Power, Princeton University Press, 1999, pp.128180
Final Exam
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