Midterm 1 Flashcards
Three Images (Levels of Analysis)
The three levels of analysis are the _______ level, the _______ level, and the _______ level.
Individual level, state level, and systemic level
Decision-Making Models
The three decision-making models are the _______ Actor Model, the _______ Process Model, and the _______ Politics Model.
Rational Actor Model, Organizational Model, and the Bureaucratic Model
Five Paradigms of Foreign Policy
The five paradigms include Realism, ________, Constructivism, ________, and ________.
Liberalism, Marxism, and Feminism
Realism Types
The three types of realism are Classical Realism, _______ Realism, and _______ Realism.
Structural realism, and neoclassical realism
Liberalism Perspective
Liberalism emphasizes the importance of _______ actors in understanding foreign policy.
Domestic actors
Causes of Peace in IR
According to Liberalism, causes of peace include interdependence, international ________, and the spread of ________.
international institutions, and the spread of democracy
Feminism Critique
Feminism critiques the ________ nature of international relations and argues that female perspectives have been ________.
Androcentric nature of IR
downplayed
Key National Interests
The six national interests at the heart of American foreign policy include power, military security, economic strength, ________, ________, and cultural identity.
ideology, morality
Fundamental Principles of US Foreign Policy
The four fundamental principles that have guided US foreign policy are Isolationism, ________, ________, and Unilateralism.
moralism, pragmatism
Competing Themes
The competing themes in US foreign policy include Idealism vs ________, Isolationism vs ________, and Unilateralism vs ________.
realism, involvement, multilateralism
Three Images (Levels of Analysis)
What does the individual level of analysis focus on in foreign policy analysis?
It focuses on the examination of the cognition, perceptions, choices, values, emotions, biases, and idiosyncrasies of key decision-makers.
E.g., A psychological profile of a president
Decision-Making Models
Describe the Rational Actor Model in the context of foreign policy decision-making.
Policy-makers select the foreign policy option with the most benefits and least costs.
Policy-makers have bounded rationality: due to limited time and information, decision-makers select the first satisfactory option that they encounter.
Every actor that is rational does something for their own interests. Always select the option that is most beneficial for your country.
Organizational Process Model
How does the Organizational Process Model differ from the Rational Actor Model?
Organizational Process Model
Policy-makers in governmental agencies usually rely on standard operating procedures (SOPs) to make decisions.
Think about a government department and how the decisions are made within it. People don’t make their own decisions since it is hierarchical.
Constructivism
What does Constructivism examine in terms of foreign policy-making?
Constructivism
Examines how ideas, interests, and identities are socially constructed, how they change, and how they impact foreign policy-making.
Collecting data.
E.g., Democracy; human rights.
Foreign policy is influenced by norms, institutions, and identities which people have socially constructed.
Marxism Perspective
Explain how Marxism views capitalism and its relationship to imperialist expansion.
Marxism
Capitalism fuels imperialist expansion.
U.S. hegemony was supported by dominant classes who promoted a social vision that falsely claims to serve the interest of everyone, but actually benefits the dominant classes.
Marxism views capitalism as an exploitative system that drives imperialist expansion to sustain itself. This expansion not only seeks new markets and resources but also reinforces global inequalities and the exploitation of labor on a larger scale.
Missions in Foreign Policy
What are missions in the context of US foreign policy, and how have they been perceived historically?
Missions
Missions are fundamental long-term objectives that a country claims to pursue in its foreign policy.
Most Americans share a consensus on the missions, national interests, and principles of US foreign policy.
Since the founding of the US, many Americans have believed in American exceptionalism, the idea that the US is different from other countries.
John Adams (2nd President, 1797-1801): The US is “destined beyond a doubt to be the greatest power on earth.”
Thomas Jefferson (3rd President, 1801-1809): The US is “the last best hope of mankind” and a “barrier against the return of ignorance and barbarism.”
Americans believed that the US was a sanctuary and refuge for oppressed peoples around the world and provided them with a glimmer of hope.
The US served as a model for others to emulate.
By the end of the Second World War (1939-45), US foreign policy had become more interventionist due to this sense of mission.
The US became an active promoter of liberal democracy, free markets economics, and Western values globally.
Principles of US Foreign Policy
How has the principle of Moralism influenced American foreign policy throughout history?
Moralism
The nation’s founders believed that the US government and foreign policy were superior to those of other states.
During the 19th century, many Americans believed in “manifest destiny”: it was a divinely mandated US obligation to expand and acquire all North American territory.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many Americans argued that US interventions abroad were done in the name of liberty and justice.
Throughout the 20th century, promoting democracy became a rationalization for American interventionism.
There is also a perception that the US represents “good” in the world and has to stand up to “evil” adversaries.
Competing Themes Explained
What is the debate between Idealism and Realism in US foreign policy?
Idealism vs Realism
Should US foreign policy be based on visions of how the world ought to be, or be oriented to deal with the world the way it actually is?
