pols 425 u.s. foreign policy week 2: major worldviews january 10, 2007 week 2: major worldviews...

POLS 425 U.S. Foreign Policy

Week 2: Major WorldviewsJanuary 10, 2007

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Why We Fight

Why does the United States fight? What the key reasons or motivations for US decisions to engage in violent international conflict?

Are the reasons generally the same, or do they vary from one war to another?

If they vary, why do you think this is the case?

Are most wars necessary?

Why We Fight

Why does the United States fight? What the key reasons or motivations for US decisions to engage in violent international conflict?

Are the reasons generally the same, or do they vary from one war to another?

If they vary, why do you think this is the case?

Are most wars necessary?

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U.S. Foreign PolicyIntroduction


Key Points

Your answers reflect your personal theory of American foreign policy

Personal theories are appropriate and even necessary, but they are often premised on a very shaky foundation

Personal theories tend to be superficial

Personal theories are often governed as much by emotion as they are by evidence and reason

Key Points

Your answers reflect your personal theory of American foreign policy

Personal theories are appropriate and even necessary, but they are often premised on a very shaky foundation

Personal theories tend to be superficial

Personal theories are often governed as much by emotion as they are by evidence and reason

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The First Basic Lesson for Studying U.S. Foreign Policy

Cultivate and maintainan open mind

Recognize that no onis likely to have amonopoly on thetruth

The First Basic Lesson for Studying U.S. Foreign Policy

Cultivate and maintainan open mind

Recognize that no onis likely to have amonopoly on thetruth

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American Exceptionalism

A major obstacle to developing an open-mind about U.S. foreign policy comes from the influence of American exceptionalism

What is American exceptionalism?

American Exceptionalism

A major obstacle to developing an open-mind about U.S. foreign policy comes from the influence of American exceptionalism

What is American exceptionalism?

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The Grand Narrative of American Exceptionalism

America as the “Chosen Country”

American power is force of good

America is obligated to create a “better world” for all

The Grand Narrative of American Exceptionalism

America as the “Chosen Country”

American power is force of good

America is obligated to create a “better world” for all

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Second Basic Lesson for Studying U.S. Foreign Policy

We cannot allow ourselves to buy into the idea of American exceptionalism wholly and uncritically

We need to create some intellectual and analytical and critical distance between ourselves and the grand narrative

Second Basic Lesson for Studying U.S. Foreign Policy

We cannot allow ourselves to buy into the idea of American exceptionalism wholly and uncritically

We need to create some intellectual and analytical and critical distance between ourselves and the grand narrative

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Levels of Analysis: Points of Entrance

Individual Level

“State” Level

System Level

Levels of Analysis: Points of Entrance

Individual Level

“State” Level

System Level

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Levels of Analysis: Point of Entrance

Individual Level

The individual level of analysis begins at the level of a single individual or group of individuals: typically, presidents, prime ministers, and others directly involved in making policy


Individual Level

The individual level of analysis begins at the level of a single individual or group of individuals: typically, presidents, prime ministers, and others directly involved in making policy

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“State” Level

Focuses more on institutionalized organizations or groups to explain foreign policy; also includes such things as national culture, public opinion, media, bureaucratic politics, and so on


“State” Level

Focuses more on institutionalized organizations or groups to explain foreign policy; also includes such things as national culture, public opinion, media, bureaucratic politics, and so on

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“System” Level

Assumes that the ideas, opinions, and actions of individuals is not really all that important, instead looks at the broad structures or overarching systems that shape the behavior and interactions of states


“System” Level

Assumes that the ideas, opinions, and actions of individuals is not really all that important, instead looks at the broad structures or overarching systems that shape the behavior and interactions of states

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Key Point

The levels of analysis are conceptual tools we can use to make our study of foreign policy more manageable and systematic

As with real tools, moreover, we need more than one to“build” an explanation


Key Point

The levels of analysis are conceptual tools we can use to make our study of foreign policy more manageable and systematic

As with real tools, moreover, we need more than one to“build” an explanation

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Worldviews and Theory

Another critical set of conceptual tools are worldviews and theories

These might be considered the “power tools” of explanations about U.S. foreign policy


Another critical set of conceptual tools are worldviews and theories

These might be considered the “power tools” of explanations about U.S. foreign policy

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Major worldviews and theories

1. Realism2. Liberalism3. Marxism4. Constructivism


Major worldviews and theories

1. Realism2. Liberalism3. Marxism4. Constructivism

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General Notes about Theory

The author defines theory in the following manner: An explanation of how something works; theories are also used to help tell the future or to make predictions

Another definition: A theory is a framework of analysis within which facts are not only selected, but also interpreted, organized, and fit together so that they create a coherent whole. A theory helps us explain and/or better understand the world in which we live.



The author defines theory in the following manner: An explanation of how something works; theories are also used to help tell the future or to make predictions

Another definition: A theory is a framework of analysis within which facts are not only selected, but also interpreted, organized, and fit together so that they create a coherent whole. A theory helps us explain and/or better understand the world in which we live.

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Key Point: Theories are also necessarily simplifications of a more complex whole; theories are not reality, but they designed to tell us something meaningful about the real world



Key Point: Theories are also necessarily simplifications of a more complex whole; theories are not reality, but they designed to tell us something meaningful about the real world

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Additional Points

First, the various theories on US foreign policy are not dependent on whether they are accepted or even understood by policy-makers themselves

Second, and in a related vein, theories are meant to help us better understand and explain the implications and consequences of different foreign policies

Third, the theories we will study are sometimes compatible, but sometimes contradictory


Additional Points

First, the various theories on US foreign policy are not dependent on whether they are accepted or even understood by policy-makers themselves

Second, and in a related vein, theories are meant to help us better understand and explain the implications and consequences of different foreign policies

Third, the theories we will study are sometimes compatible, but sometimes contradictory

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Worldviews and Theory: Realism

Core Premises

1. Central questions focus on conditions and causes of war and peace

2. Regard structure of international system as necessary but not always sufficient for explaining international relations

3. Primary unit of analysis is the sovereign state4. States are first and foremost guided by national interest

defined in terms of power5. States are rational, unitary actors


Core Premises

1. Central questions focus on conditions and causes of war and peace

2. Regard structure of international system as necessary but not always sufficient for explaining international relations

3. Primary unit of analysis is the sovereign state4. States are first and foremost guided by national interest

defined in terms of power5. States are rational, unitary actors

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The key concept in realism is anarchy

To understand this condition, consider what would happen if a group of individuals lived on an isolated island in which there was no society, no rules, no law. And say, on this island, resources were limited and power unevenly distributed. What would happen?


The key concept in realism is anarchy

To understand this condition, consider what would happen if a group of individuals lived on an isolated island in which there was no society, no rules, no law. And say, on this island, resources were limited and power unevenly distributed. What would happen?

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Worldviews and Theory: Liberalism

Four central premises of liberalism

1. Liberalism tells us that our focus should be on state-level factors

2. Liberalism tells us that values (including ideas) beyond national survival may matter

3. Liberals believe decision making is pluralistic4. Liberals believe that most foreign policy decisions

require “consent” of the governed; policy making is different between democratic and authoritarian regimes


Four central premises of liberalism

1. Liberalism tells us that our focus should be on state-level factors

2. Liberalism tells us that values (including ideas) beyond national survival may matter

3. Liberals believe decision making is pluralistic4. Liberals believe that most foreign policy decisions

require “consent” of the governed; policy making is different between democratic and authoritarian regimes

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Implications of Liberal Theory

Rationality of policy-making process is complicated because of competing interests

War and peace are important, but other issues may be equally important to foreign policy process

Cooperation and “end of war” are possible


Implications of Liberal Theory

Rationality of policy-making process is complicated because of competing interests

War and peace are important, but other issues may be equally important to foreign policy process

Cooperation and “end of war” are possible

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On Rationality

Realists assume that war is rational for an entire nation

Liberals, instead, ask: Who (specifically) benefits from war? Why do those who “lose” from war willingly participate?

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Worldviews and Theory: Marxism

What is Marxism?


What is Marxism?

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Key Concept: Historical Materialism

Historical: based on the idea that the specific forces that shape the world are not always the same—e.g., the forces that governed feudal society are not the same forces that govern capitalist societies

Materialism: based on the idea that economic forces shape the world in fundamental ways, or put another way, economic forces are the motor of history


Key Concept: Historical Materialism

Historical: based on the idea that the specific forces that shape the world are not always the same—e.g., the forces that governed feudal society are not the same forces that govern capitalist societies

Materialism: based on the idea that economic forces shape the world in fundamental ways, or put another way, economic forces are the motor of history

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Key Concept: Class Marxists argue that capitalist society is

necessarily divided along class lines

Classes exist because all economic systems produces specific social relationships

These social relationships are organized around a system that privileges ownership and subordinates labor; it also privileges capital and subordinates other human values, such as social justice, equality, and freedom


Key Concept: Class Marxists argue that capitalist society is

necessarily divided along class lines

Classes exist because all economic systems produces specific social relationships

These social relationships are organized around a system that privileges ownership and subordinates labor; it also privileges capital and subordinates other human values, such as social justice, equality, and freedom

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Key Concept: Implications

Capitalist states exist to protect/promote the capitalist base of society, and not necessarily to protect the interests of all citizens

To understand foreign policy, then, one must understand that it is primarily a reflection of the interests of capitalists


Key Concept: Implications

Capitalist states exist to protect/promote the capitalist base of society, and not necessarily to protect the interests of all citizens

To understand foreign policy, then, one must understand that it is primarily a reflection of the interests of capitalists

pols 425 u.s. foreign policy week 2: major worldviews january 10, 2007 week 2: major worldviews...

Documents

foreign policy week

superficial personal

grand narrative slide

chosen country american

reason slide

truth slide

basic lesson

open mind