Foreign Policy – a statement of national goals, as limited both - Focus on Process of foreign policy decision

absolutely and relatively by national power. making

- A set of guidelines articulated by the government of - Focus on the ‘minds of men’
a country in order to promote its national interest - Rational Choice Theory
through the conduct of its relations with other  Posited a unified decision-making body in the
countries. form of state
- A nation’s articulation of its fondest needs and  Pursuit of self-interest guided all decision makers
aspirations and its sole weapon for the promotion of - Emphasis on individual decision makers
its national interest in international affairs.  Led to focus on psychological and cognitive
- A part of the general program of government, an factors as explanatory sources of foreign
extension of its domestic policy policy choice
-  Jervis – psychological disposition of a
 Diplomacy, intelligence, trade negotiations, and cultural leader,
exchanges - Rational decision maker chooses from among a
Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA) – is the study of the conduct set of alternatives 4
and practice of relations between different actors, primarily (3) Bureaucratic Politics
states, in the international system. (4) Domestic Structure
 An investigation into decision making, the decision (5) Pluralist
makers, processes and conditions that affect foreign (6)
policy and the outcomes of these decisions. Foreign Policy Decision Making – the choices individuals,
 Became a separate area of inquiry due to: groups, and coalitions make that affect a nation’s actions on
(1) initially exclusive focus on the actual conduct of the international stage.
inter-state relations  High stakes, with enormous uncertainty(opponent's
- sources of decisions motive, beliefs, intentions, or calculations), substantial
- focus on the process risk
(2) its normative impulse  Determinants of Foreign Policy Decisions:
- aimed at improving foreign policy decision making (1) Decision environment
 emphasized state and individual levels as key area for (2) Psychological factors
understanding the nature of the int’l system (3) International factors
 divided as to the degree of influence accorded to: (4) Domestic factors
(1) structural factors – constraints imposed by the  Components: (Robinson and Snyder)
international system (1) Identifying the decision problem
(2) human agency – the role of individual choice in (2) Searching for alternatives
shaping the international system (3) Choosing an alternative
 Approaches: (4) Executing the alternative
(1) Realist  provide deeper understandings of biases, motivations,
- The state is seen as a unitary and rational actor and perceptions
geared at maximizing gains and minimizing  Reasons for the study of foreign policy from a decision-
losses while navigating an anarchic international making perspective: it studies how uncertainties shape
system. decision makers’ responses
 Pursuit of security and efforts to enhance Value trade-offs – how domestic values drive foreign policy
material wealth place states in competition with
other states, limiting the scope of cooperation to  Hh
a series of selective, self-interested strategies
- National interest (to interpret state action) Comparative Foreign Policy Approach
 Synonymous with power (Hans Morgenthau)
 What constitutes it, how it is determined and Types of Decisions
implemented (crucial to understanding the
1) One-shot (single)
choices and responses by states in int’l affairs
- rare
- All states’ foreign policies conform to basic
2) Interactive
parameters such as:
- Strategic
 Centrality of power –manifested as military
power (key determinant of a state’s ability to - Involves at least two players who make
sustain a successful foreign policy), geographic decisions that affect and are affected by the
position, material resources, and demography other player’s decisions
- Focus on influences of the structure of the int’l 3) Sequential
system and the relative power of states - A series of interrelated decisions
(2) Behaviorist and Rationalist 4) Sequential-interactive
- A series of interrelated decisions by at least two
countries responding to each other’s decisions
5) Group
- Decisions influenced by group dynamics
- Complicated because
Groups – ad hoc combinations of individuals,
bureaucratic agencies, or coalitions.