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Foreign Policy Analysis

Code: 101097 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2500259 Political Science and Public Management OT 3
2500259 Political Science and Public Management OT 4
2503778 International Relations OB 3

Contact

Name:
Olivia Isabell Glombitza
Email:
olivia.glombitza@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites


This course does not have any academic prerequisites. However, it is highly recommended that students have acquired basic training in International Relations and Political Science.

Furthermore, students must have the habit of reading and consulting different media and to follow the latest news on international politics.

Students are also required to have the capacity to critically analyze different sources and types of information.

Most of the main academic texts on foreign policy analysis are in English and Spanish, therefore a very good level of reading comprehension in both languages is required.


Objectives and Contextualisation

 

The course puruses two specific objectives:

a) To provide a conceptual framework and a detailed vision of the theoretical and instrumental tools to analyze and explain the various factors, actors and contexts of foreign policies;
b) To apply the framework and tools to different case studies.


At the end of the course students should be able to:

  • Analyze public policies relevant to the international sphere, in particular foreign policy, both in the process of preparation and implementation.
  • Know the origins and developments of the main analytical frameworks and conceptual tools in the analysis of foreign policies.
  • Understand the complex international system in which foreign policies are designed and implemented.
  • Identify and analyze the main actors, political, institutional, economic and social processes, both nationally and internationally and that influence the definition and implementation of external policies
  • Analyze and evaluate decision-making processes in foreign policy matters with the help of different analytical tools, and using case studies from different historical periods related to different regions of the world.
  • Know and understand the most relevant transformations in the different dimensions of foreign policy, and specifically in contemporary diplomacy.
  • Reflect critically on the ethical and normative implications that derive from foreign policy decisions.
  • Acquire the ability to identify sources of information relevant to the study and analysis of foreign policies.

Competences

    Political Science and Public Management
  • Applying theoretical and analytical knowledge of International Relations to practical and professional cases, in particular to the areas of conflict and cooperation between actors.
  • Arguing from different theoretical perspectives.
  • Assessing specific distinctive aspects and conceptual and methodological instruments of the different tendencies and analytical approximations of International Relations.
  • Demonstrating good writing skills in different contexts.
  • Demonstrating they know theoretical tendencies and classical and recent analytical approximations of International Relations.
  • Designing data collection techniques, coordinating the information processing and meticulously applying hypothesis verification methods.
  • Distinguishing the discipline's main theories and different fields: conceptual developments, theoretical frameworks and theoretical approaches underlying the discipline's knowledge and different areas and sub-areas, as well as their value for the professional practice through concrete cases.
  • Identifying sources of data and conducting bibliographic and documentary searches.
  • Interpreting and applying English texts in an academic way.
  • Managing the available time in order to accomplish the established objectives and fulfil the intended task.
  • Producing and planning researches or analytical reports.
  • Realising effective oral presentations that are suited to the audience.
  • Synthesizing and critically analysing information.
  • Using the main information and documentation techniques (ICT) as an essential tool for the analysis.
  • Working autonomously.
  • Working by using quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in order to apply them to research processes.
  • Working in teams and networking, particularly in interdisciplinary conditions.
    International Relations
  • Analyse cases and phenomena in the international sphere and interpret different political texts using contemporary political theories.
  • Analyse the behaviour of international actors, both state and non-state.
  • Analyse the production and implementation of public policies related to the international sphere, in particular foreign policy and security and defence policy.
  • Apply quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in research processes.
  • Identify data sources and carry out rigorous bibliographical and documentary searches.
  • Identify the main theories of international relations and their different fields (international theory, conflicts and security, international politics, etc.) to apply them in professional practice.
  • Produce and prepare the presentation of intervention reports and/or proposals.
  • Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
  • Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
  • Use metatheoretical data to argue and establish plausible relation of causality and establish ways of validating or rejecting them.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse public policies in specific countries, in particular foreign policies, and understand the traits of continuity and change in historical perspective.
  2. Analyse the behaviour of different actors in the main topics and problems related to international security, international conflicts and the promotion of peace.
  3. Apply different theories and focuses to the analysis of the main problems related to security, foreign policy and armed conflict and the promotion of peace.
  4. Apply quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in research processes.
  5. Applying theoretical and analytical knowledge of International Relations to practical and professional cases, in particular to the areas of conflict and cooperation between actors.
  6. Arguing from different theoretical perspectives.
  7. Assessing specific distinctive aspects and conceptual and methodological instruments of the different tendencies and analytical approximations of International Relations.
  8. Critically assessing the impacts of globalization in several areas: safety, environment, human rights, migrations and peace.
  9. Demonstrating good writing skills in different contexts.
  10. Demonstrating they know theoretical tendencies and classical and recent analytical approximations of International Relations.
  11. Describing the international order: anarchy versus order, society of states and transnational society.
  12. Describing the main characteristic elements of the international society as a whole (1945-2000).
  13. Designing data collection techniques, coordinating the information processing and meticulously applying hypothesis verification methods.
  14. Explaining the major approximations to the international relations (realism, transnationalism and structuralism).
  15. Identify data sources and carry out rigorous bibliographical and documentary searches.
  16. Identifying sources of data and conducting bibliographic and documentary searches.
  17. Interpreting and applying English texts in an academic way.
  18. Make a reasoned application of different contemporary political theories to phenomena related to international security, international conflicts, foreign policies of the main states and the promotion of peace.
  19. Managing the available time in order to accomplish the established objectives and fulfil the intended task.
  20. Produce and prepare the presentation of intervention reports and/or proposals.
  21. Producing and planning researches or analytical reports.
  22. Properly using the theory and concepts of international relations (traditions of Hobbesian, Grotian or Kantian thought).
  23. Realising effective oral presentations that are suited to the audience.
  24. Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
  25. Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  26. Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  27. Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
  28. Synthesizing and critically analysing information.
  29. Use metatheoretical data to argue and establish plausible relation of causality and establish ways of validating or rejecting them.
  30. Use tools for the analysis of foreign policies and apply them to real and simulated case studies.
  31. Using the main information and documentation techniques (ICT) as an essential tool for the analysis.
  32. Working autonomously.
  33. Working by using quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in order to apply them to research processes.
  34. Working in teams and networking, particularly in interdisciplinary conditions.

Content

INTRODUCTION: Presentation of the objectives of the course, its methodology and the methods of evaluation

 

BLOCK I: The analysis of foreign policies as an academic discipline

1. The practical relevance of the academic analysis of foreign policies

2. Foreign policy as public policy

3. Origins and evolution of the area of study

4. Key concepts: national interest, levels of analysis, agent-structure interactions, and policy implementation

 

BLOCK II: Theoretical tools for the analysis of external policies

5. Analytical models (1): The rational actor model

6. Analytical models (2): The model of bureaucratic politics

7. Analytical models (3): The individual actor model and psychological approaches

8. Analytical models (4): The societal level: the weight of political culture and social values in the formulation of foreign policy

 

BLOCK III: Non-traditional actors and new challenges for the analysis of foreign policies

9. The impact of public opinion and the media on the formulation of foreign policies

10. The foreign policy of non-central government actors (paradiplomacy)

 

BLOCK IV: Case studies

11. Case study (I): Foreign Policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran

12. Oral presentation of students' case studies


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Lectures 30 1.2 2, 5, 3, 18, 6, 10, 12, 11, 14, 23, 16, 17, 28, 33, 22, 31, 7, 8
Seminars 20 0.8 2, 1, 5, 3, 18, 4, 6, 29, 10, 12, 11, 20, 14, 23, 16, 17, 28, 33, 22, 30, 31, 7, 8
Type: Supervised      
Case studies 15 0.6 5, 10, 21, 19, 16, 17, 28, 32, 31, 7
Debates, discussions and quizzes 5 0.2 2, 1, 5, 3, 18, 6, 9, 12, 11, 20, 14, 23, 17, 26, 28, 34, 22, 30, 8
Type: Autonomous      
Student-led preparation of group exercise 30 1.2 13, 21, 23, 19, 16, 17, 27, 26, 24, 25, 28, 33, 32, 34, 31
Student-led study 50 2 2, 1, 5, 3, 18, 10, 12, 11, 13, 21, 14, 19, 15, 16, 17, 27, 26, 24, 25, 28, 33, 32, 22, 30, 31, 7, 8

The course consists of 6 ECTS credits which implies a dedication of a total of 150 hours by the students. These are are distributed as follows:

Guided activities, activities in the classroom  (or on line) with the presence of the teacher and which can consist of master classes (with the support of ICT and with the possibility of developing debates in a large group); seminars to discuss compulsory readings in smaller groups and in sessions more oriented at practical issues, in which case, problems and examples related to the course syllabus will be analyzed (also on line). For these sessions, mandatory readings will be assigned in advance. These activities represent approximately one-third of the total work required (50 hours).

Supervised activities, activities carried out by the student outside the classroom according to a work plan designed and subsequently supervised and evaluated by the teacher. Likewise, during the course, the student should read short articles in relation to which he/she will be able to comment on the text and, in addition, participate actively in debates about the reading material. Also included are tutoring and other similar activities of course monitoring (20 hours).

Autonomous activities, all activities carried out by the students on their own and in accordance with the requirements to successfully pass the course may include compulsory and complementary readings, the study of class notes or all other activities that complement the training that is achieved in this course. These activities represent half of the students' work time (80 hours).

The teaching methodology is adapted to this distribution of work and activities.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Final exam 35% 0 0 6, 29, 10, 12, 11, 13, 21, 14, 17, 28, 32, 22, 7, 8
Group exercise 20% 0 0 2, 1, 5, 3, 18, 6, 10, 9, 12, 11, 14, 23, 16, 17, 27, 26, 24, 25, 28, 33, 22, 30, 31, 7, 8
Mid-term exam 35% 0 0 4, 6, 13, 21, 20, 23, 19, 15, 16, 33, 32, 34, 31
Participation in class 10% 0 0 2, 1, 5, 3, 18, 6, 10, 12, 11, 14, 23, 19, 15, 16, 17, 26, 24, 25, 28, 34, 22, 30, 7, 8

The evaluation of this course consists of the following:

1. A partial exam covering the first part of the course programme mid-way through the course: 35% of the final grade.
2. A partial exam covering the second part of the course programme at the end of the course (on the last day of class): 35% of the final grade.
3. A group exercise: 20% of the final grade.
4. Continuous assessment: participation in class and activities programmed by the teaching staff, such as debates, text commentaries, etc.: 10% of the final grade.

 

Important considerations:

In order to pass the course, it is necessary to obtain a minimum grade of 5 in each of the partial exams and the weighted average final grade of the course also needs to result in a minimum grade of 5. If failing to overcome the threshold, students will be able to take part in a retake exam if they have participated in assessment activities equivalent to 60% of the final grade. The retake exam will take place on the date of the retake exam scheduled by the faculty.

 

Single assessment:

Students who have so requested in due time and form, may participate in a single assessment activity consisting of an exam (70% of the grade) and a practical activity (30% of the grade). This single assessment activity will take place on the last day of class at the end of the term. To pass the single assessment activity, it is necessary to obtain a minimum grade of 5. In case of failing to overcome the threshold, the assessment activity can be retaken on the date of the retake exam scheduled by the faculty.


Bibliography

Bibliography 

 

Reference Books 

  • Alden, Chris; y Aran, Amnon. 2016. Foreign Policy Analysis. New approaches, Oxon: Routledge.
  • Bjola, C. and Kornprobst, M. 2018. Understanding International Diplomacy. Theory, Practice and Ethics, New York: Routledge.
  • Holmes, A. R., & Rofe, J. S. 2016. Global Diplomacy. Theories, types, and models,  Boulder, Co.: Westview Press
  • Hudson, Valerie. 2013. Foreign Policy Analysis. Classic and contemporary theory (2nd edition), Plymouth: Rowman and Littlefield.
  • Morin, J.F i Paquin, J. 2018. Foreign Policy Analysis A Toolbox, New York: Routledge.
  • Smith, Steve, Amelia Hadfield & Tim Dunne (eds.) 2016.  Foreign Policy. Theories, actors, cases (3rd Edition), Oxford:Oxford University Press. 

General theoretical readings on Foreign Policy Analysis 

  • Acharya, Amitav. 2014. The End of American World Order, Cambridge, UK: Polity
  • Adigbuo, Richard. 2007.  "Beyond IR theories: the case for national role conceptions." Politikon34 (1): 83-97.
  • Adler, Emanuel. 2002. "Constructivism and International Relations", in Handbook of International Relations, eds. Walter Carlsnaes, Thomas Risse and Beth Simmons,  95 – 118, London: Sage.
  • Alden, Christopher, and Aran, Amnon. 2016. Foreign Policy Analysis: Newapproaches. New York: Routledge.
  • Alons, Gerry C. 2007, "Predicting a state's foreign policy: state preferences between domestic and international constraints." Foreign Policy Analysis 3(2): 211-232.
  • Barbé, Esther. 2020. Relaciones Internacionales, Madrid: Tecnos (3ª edición).
  • Beach, Derek. 2012. Analyzing foreign policy, Basingstoke and New York: Palgave Macmillan.
  • Bremer, Juan José. 2010. Tiempos de Guerra y paz. Los pilares de la diplomacia: de Westfalia a San Francisco, México: Taurus.
  • Carlsnaes, Walter. 1992. "Theagency-structure problem in Foreign Policy Analysis." International Studies Quarterly 36(3): 245-270.
  • Carlsnaes, Walter. 1993. "On analyzing the dynamics of foreign policy change: a critique and reconceptualization." Cooperation and Conflict 28(1): 5-30.
  • Fearon, James D. 1998. "Domestic politics, foreign policy, and theories of International Relations." Annual Review of Political Science 1: 289-313.
  • Grossman, Michael. 2005. "Role Theory and Foreign Policy Change: The Transformation of Russian Foreign Policy in the 1990s." International Politics 42: 334-351.
  • Gustavsson, Jacob. 1999. "How Should We Study Foreign Policy Change?." Cooperation and Conflict 34(1): 73-9.
  • Hill, Christopher. 2003. The changing politics of foreign policy, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Holsti, K. J. 1970. “National role conceptions in the study of Foreign Policy.” International Studies Quarterly  14(3): 233-309.
  • Hudson, Valerie. 2019. Foreign Policy Analysis. Classic and contemporary theory. Plymouth, UK: Rowman and Littlefield.
  • Jentleson, Bruce. 2013. American foreign policy: the dynamics of choice in the 21st century, London: WW Norton.
  • John Baylis, J., Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens eds.  2019. The Globalization of world politics: an Introduction to International Relations, Eighth edition,  Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Lentner, Howard H. 2006. "Public Policy and Foreign Policy: Divergences, Intersections, Exchange." Review of Policy Research 23(1): 169-181.
  • Lobell, Steven E.; Ripsman, Norrin M.; y Taliaferro, Jeffrey W. eds. 2009. Neoclassical realism, the state, and foreign policy, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Ohnesorge. Hendrik, W. 2019. Soft Power: The Forces of Attraction in International Relations, New York: Springer. 
  • Mintz, Alex; DeRouen, Karl. 2010. Understanding Foreign Policy Decision Making, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Murphy, Ann-Marie; Fulda, Andreas. 2011. "Bridging the Gap: Pracademics in Foreign Policy." Political Science and Politics 44(2): 279-283.
  • Nau, Henry. 2020. Perspectives on international relations: power, institutions, ideas, Washington, DC: CQ Press.
  • Neack, Laura. 2013. The new foreign policy: complex interactions, competing interests, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
  • Putnam, Robert D. 1988.  "Diplomacy and Domestic Politics: The Logic of Two-Level Games," International Organization  42(3): 427-460.
  • Rosenau James N. 1971.  The Scientific Study of Foreign Policy,  New York: The Free Press.
  • Smith, Karen y Light, Margot. 2001. Ethics and foreign policy, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Smith, Steve; Hadfield, Amelia; and Dunne, Tim .Eds..  2016.  Foreign Policy. Theories, actors, cases, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Vallès, Josep Mª Valles i Martí, Salvador.  2020. Ciència Política: un manual. Barcelona, Planeta. 

Academic journals: 

  • Alternatives
  • American Journal of International Law
  • Asia Pacific Review Asian Security
  • Asian Journalof Political Science
  • Australian Journal of International Affairs
  • British Journal of Politics and International Relations
  • Cambridge Review of International Affairs
  • China Quarterly
  • Chinese Journal of International Politics
  • Chinese Journal of International Law
  • Cold War History
  • Contemporary Southeast Asia
  • Diplomacy and Statecraft
  • Diplomatic History
  • European Journal of International Law
  • European Journal of International Relations
  • European Union Politics
  • Europe-Asia Studies
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA)
  • Georgetown Journal of International Law
  • Global Change, Peace & Security (Routledge)
  • Harvard Asia Pacific Review International
  • Harvard International Law Journal 
  • International History Review
  • International Studies Perspectives (ISP)
  • International Organization
  • International Political Sociology
  • International Politics
  • International Relations
  • International Relations of the Asia-Pacific
  • International Security
  • International Studies Quarterly
  • International Studies Review 
  • International Theory
  • Japan Forum
  • Japanese Journal of Political Science
  • Journal of Southeast Asian Studies
  • The Journal of Asian Studies
  • Journal of Contemporary China
  • Journal of European Integration
  • Journal ofthe History of International Law
  • Journal of International and Area Studies
  • Journal of Peace Research
  • Journal of Strategic Studies
  • Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society
  • Journal of World History
  • Latin American Politics and Society
  • Millennium
  • New Political Economy
  • Peace Review a Journal of Social Justice
  • Perspectives on Politics
  • Regional Studies
  • Review of International Studies
  • Security Studies
  • Southeast Asian Affairs
  • Stanford Journal of International Law
  • Taiwan Journal of Democracy
  • Terrorism and Political Violence
  • The China Quarterly
  • The Chinese Journal of International Politics
  • The Hague Journal of Diplomacy
  • The International Journal of Asian Studies
  • The National Interest
  • The Pacific Review (Routledge)

The Review of International Political Economy

  • The Review of Politics
  • The Washington Quarterly
  • World Politics 

Reviews or Magazines covering Foreign Policy

Podcasts:

Other resources:


Software

moodle


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 English first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 1 English first semester morning-mixed