SS473 examines the historical evolution, development, implementation, and consequences of American foreign policy. It analyzes the actors that craft and influence policy, concentrating both on formal government institutions--such as the President, Congress, and the foreign policy bureaucracy--and informal institutions such as public opinion, political parties, interest groups, and the media. The course examines key events in American Foreign Policy history through the lens of constraints and 'policy choice.' What choices did U.S. foreign policy makers confront? What policies did they choose to implement and why? What were the consequences of those decisions? Students will ultimately apply these lessons as they evaluate historic foreign policy decisions, debate contemporary dilemmas, and contemplate the future of American foreign policy.
Lessons
30 @ 75 min (2.000 Att/wk)
Labs
0 @ 0 min
Special requirements
Cadets are required to submit a term paper that analyzes a historical event in American foreign policy history.
This course examines the development, implementation, and consequences of American foreign policy. It analyzes the actors who make American foreign policy, concentrating both on government sources such as the president, Congress, and the foreign policy bureaucracy, as well as external sources such as public opinion, interest groups, and the media. The course examines key events in U.S. foreign policy history through the lens of 'policy choice.' What choices did U.S. foreign policy makers confront? What policy did they choose to implement and why? What were the consequences of that policy? Utilizing the lessons from these historical case studies, the course then examines the current challenges and dilemmas that confront the United States. Some of these include U.S. relations with China, Russia, and the European Union, energy politics, the Arab-Israeli crisis, weapons of mass destruction and rogue states, terrorism, democracy promotion, and the global response to US foreign policy. In exploring each of these current challenges and dilemmas, this course attempts to understand the policies and strategies the U.S. utilizes to secure its interests and achieve its objectives.
Lessons
30 @ 75 min (2.000 Att/wk)
Labs
0 @ 0 min
Special requirements
3,500-word case study of American foreign policy, with graded bibliography and outline; compensatory time provided.
This course examines the development, implementation, and consequences of American foreign policy. It analyzes the actors who make American foreign policy, concentrating both on government sources such as the president, Congress, and the foreign policy bureaucracy, as well as external sources such as public opinion, interest groups, and the media. The course examines key events in U.S. foreign policy history through the lens of 'policy choice.' What choices did U.S. foreign policy makers confront? What policy did they choose to implement and why? What were the consequences of that policy? Utilizing the lessons from these historical case studies, the course then examines the current challenges and dilemmas that confront the United States. Some of these include U.S. relations with China, Russia, and the European Union, energy politics, the Arab-Israeli crisis, weapons of mass destruction and rogue states, terrorism, democracy promotion, and the global response to US foreign policy. In exploring each of these current challenges and dilemmas, this course attempts to understand the policies and strategies the U.S. utilizes to secure its interests and achieve its objectives.
Lessons
40 @ 55 min (2.500 Att/wk)
Labs
0 @ 0 min
Special requirements
3,500-word case study of American foreign policy, with graded bibliography and outline; compensatory time provided.
This course examines the development and implementation of American foreign policy since the end of World War II. It addresses the perennial question of whether U.S. policy decisions promote both interests and values, goals that sometimes are complementary but can conflict. It examines different perspectives on the concept of ýnational interest,ý and it considers how policy makers identify the ends and means of their decisions. It also analyzes the actors who make American foreign policy, concentrating both on government sources such as the president, Congress, and the foreign policy bureaucracy, as well as external sources such as public opinion, interest groups, and the media. In examining all of this material, the course considers the following questions: Who makes foreign policy in the American political system? What responsibilities should the United States assume in the world today? How, if at all, do those obligations differ from the interests of the United States during the Cold War? What does it mean for the United States to be the only remaining ýsuperpowerý?
Lessons
40 @ 55 min (2.500 Att/wk)
Labs
0 @ 0 min
Special requirements
3,500-word case study of American foreign policy, with graded bibliography and outline; compensatory time provided.
The United States is the world's unique pluralistic superpower. This characteristic creates many enduring dilemmas that, in turn, shape U.S. foreign policy. This course examines these dilemmas and their implications for U.S. foreign policy. Persisting themes and patterns that have characterized postwar U.S. foreign policy are studied. What are these patterns? Why? What factors influence the process and content of U.S. foreign policy? What is the value of strategy for guiding U.S. foreign policy? How well has containment served the United States?
