Foreign policy analysis

Question 1

What is foreign policy analysis

Answer 1

“foreign policy analysis seeks to understand why governments take the decisions they do toward other countries or actors

Question 2

what are the types of power in foreign policy

Answer 2

soft and hard power

Question 3

what is soft power - Nye

Answer 3

“the ability to obtain preferred outcomes by attraction rather than coercion or payment” - uses culture, values, negotiation, relationship

Question 4

What is hard power

Answer 4

power based in coercion or force - uses war, sanctions, covert operations, “coercive diplomacy”

Question 5

what is the process approach to foreign policy

Answer 5

FP is the result of a series of interactions which continue to influence overtime

Question 6

what is the policy approach to foreign policy

Answer 6

FP is the result of specific policies that result from processes

Question 7

implications of multiple conceptual models - Allison, 1971

Answer 7

• rational actor
• organisational behaviour
• governmental policies

Question 7

FP and individual level of analysis

Answer 7

• importance of national and international leaders in assessing and making foreign policy - “risk of cognitive misers” (Fiske and Taylor, 1984)
• sources of change: ‘leadership learning’, changes in other states’ foreign policy, change in leadership - FDRs shift from neutrality to internationalism during WWII after learning from the failure of the league of nations

Question 8

FP and state level of analysis

Answer 8

• importance of domestic institutions (political, social, economic) on foreign policy
• sources of change: change in system of government, influence of NGOs

Question 9

FP and international level of analysis

Answer 9

• importance of the state’s interests and strategies, which are shaped by geography, relative economic strength, and relative power
• sources of change: “external shocks”, changes to relative power between states - EG: Russian invasion of Ukraine