Entry requirements

Political Science advanced course or equivalent education.

Content

The aim of this seminar is to introduce students to the most important frameworks of analysis in the study of foreign policy. In other words, it is meant to show and refine the tools observers can use to understand foreign affairs. The seminar follows both a logical and chronological order as to the appearance and development of the different models.

The seminar starts with the traditional way of conducting foreign policy analysis in form of detached diplomatic history (Kissinger). It then introduces the most common model for understanding foreign policy, namely policy analysis. Here, foreign policy refers to as a form of strategic decision-making to be assessed against a measure of rationality. The seminar will discuss this using the example of economic statecraft (Baldwin).

In the 1960s, empirical evidence increasingly questioned the rationality assumptions of classical security and foreign policy analysis. Rational action was often satisfied when finding a similarity of actual with rationally expected behaviour. Yet, observers of international affairs found that these correlations might often be spurious. New approaches were constructed to account for inputs into decision-making that differ from rational calculus. Most important in this regard is the bureaucratic politics model, as exemplified in the famous work by Allison, and psychological approaches (Larson).

In the late 1980s/early 1990s, the decision-making and psychological approaches were questioned for their strong individualist character. Poststructuralist and constructivist approaches alike treat the discursive or social construction of foreign policy beliefs and behaviour (Weldes

Instruction

Lectures, seminars.

Other regulations

The course is taught for exchange students and students within The Uppsala University Programme of International Studies (UPIS).

Transitional provisions

Course requirements

1. Seminar presentation and participation. Every student will introduce one seminar (20%). Presenters should make a written outline (for everyone) which summarises the key points of their introduction and the main questions on which to lead the discussion.

2. Readings and book reviews. Students are expected to read the assignments for individual sessions and to prepare a book review on the week's readings. These reviews should ideally include a succinct summary of the main theses of the text as well comments and questions about the reading. It is important to articulate one's own opinion and judgement about a book and not just a summary of the reading. The further we advance into the seminar, the more comparisons with former readings would be helpful. Please make also clear what you did not understand. These book reviews serve as an important feedback. Some of the points that were not understood can then be explained during the seminar (40%).

3. Final essay (40%)