US Foreign Policy: Theory and Practice

POLITICAL SCIENCE 3575

In this class we will focus on the procedures and institutions that shape US foreign policy decisions. This is neither a course on international relations theory nor a history of US foreign policy. Rather, this course examines the domestic politics surrounding US foreign policy decisions. How do public opinion, electoral politics, and interest groups shape foreign policy? Which branch controls foreign policy-the president, Congress, the courts? Or is it ultimately the foreign affairs bureaucracy that pulls the strings? We will examine these topics through reading and writing assignments, class discussion, and simulations to promote deeper understanding and build practical skills.
Course Attributes: EN S; BU BA; AS SSC; FA SSC; AR SSC