The purpose of this course is to introduce you to a variety of theoretical perspectives for understanding the foreign economic and security policy choices of governments. The course is divided into four parts. We begin by examining the classical approach to foreign policy decision making, an approach that assumes governments are unitary actors and equates foreign policy making with the rational pursuit of national interest (Section I). The classical approach serves as a benchmark for comparison throughout the course. In Section II, we cover theories of foreign policy making that are rooted in psychology. Psychological approaches reject the idea that foreign policy choices should be understood as the result of a rational decision making process. Instead, they take into account how individuals actually process information and make decisions under conditions of risk and uncertainty. In Section III, we consider organizational and bureaucratic models of foreign policy making. These models challenge the assumption that governments are unitary actors. They focus on the complex organizational structure of the modern state and its implications for foreign policy making. Finally, in Section IV, we discuss the important relationship between the state and society and use alternative understandings of this relationship to examine some of the contemporary foreign policy issues related to economic globalization.

The required reading for the course comes from four books. Copies of these books (listed below) can be purchased at H.D. Smith Bookstore.

Allison, G. (1971). Essence of Decision.

Khong, Y. (1992). Analogies at War.

Krasner, S. (1978). Defending the National Interest.

Rodrik, D. (1997). Has Globalization Gone Too Far?

There are two exams, two short papers, and four small group assignments. The exams will include IDs (where you define and give the significance of a key term from the material), multiple choice, and short answer questions. They will cover material from both the lectures and readings and be taken in class with closed books. The final exam will be cumulative, but have more questions from the second half of the course.

The papers will ask you to evaluate the relative fruitfulness of alternative theoretical perspectives for understanding foreign policy making. The first paper will focus on security policy and ask you to compare rationalist and psychological approaches; the second will ask you to consider alternative views of the state-society relationship within the context of the current debate on economic globalization. More information about these papers will be distributed to you later.

Everyone will be assigned to a small group. In these groups you will be asked to discuss and write out answers to questions about the assigned readings. Attendance is very important. You must be in class to get points for any assignment that your small group completes. Additionally, the material covered in lectures will not always be the same as that covered in the readings. You will be responsible for both. The average reading load is approximately one hundred pages per week.

*I will allow you to substitute a single ten-page term paper (due June 10^th) for the two shorter papers. You are relatively free to choose the topic of this paper, but it must use at least two of the theoretical perspectives discussed in class to analyze a foreign policy decision. Those of you who choose this option must have a paper proposal approved by either Rado or me by April 29^th.

Final grades for the course will be based on the following point scale.

1. Make-ups will be given only under extreme circumstances, e.g., serious illness or personal emergency, and you must contact Rado or me before the start of the exam. All make-ups will be essay exams. (This includes exams taken early.)
2. Late assignments will be penalized. 10% of the points received on an assignment will be deducted if the assignment is turned in within one week of the due date. 20% of the points received will be deducted if the assignment is more than one week late.
3. No grades will be changed after the submission of final grades at the end of the quarter unless a recording or computational error has been made. Keep all returned paper and exams until you are sure that your final grade has been accurately computed.
4. Students with special needs should contact either Rado or me within the first week of the course to discuss any necessary arrangements to aid their completion of the course requirements.

1. The Classical Approach


Week 1 (April 1st): Allison, Introduction and Chapters 1-2 (pp. 1-66)


2. Psychological Theories of Decision Making


Week 2 (April 8th): Khong, Chapters 1-5 (pp. 3-147)

Week 3 (April 15th): Khong, Chapters 6-9 (pp. 148-263). Small groups. Paper Assignment #1 distributed.


3. Organizational and Bureaucratic Theories of the State


Week 4 (April 22nd): Allison, Chapters 3-4 (pp. 67-143)

Week 5 (April 29th): Allison, Chapters 5-7 (pp. 144-263). Small groups.

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Week 6 (May 6th): Midterm Examination, Paper Assignment #1 due.


4. The State-Society Relationship


Week 7 (May 13th): Krasner, Chapters 1-3 (pp. 5-90); Rodrik, Chapters 1-3 (pp. 1-48).

Week 8 (May 20th): Rodrik, Chapters 4-5 (pp. 49-85); Krasner, Chapter 4 (pp. 93-133). Small groups. Paper Assignment #2 distributed.

Week 9 (May 27th): Krasner, Chapters 5-6 (pp. 137-216) .

Week 10 (June 3rd): Krasner, Chapters 7-9 (pp. 217-352). Small groups.

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Finals Week (June 10th): Final Examination, Paper Assignment #2 due.