OVERVIEW

How can we explain foreign policy decisions? The course, which aims to provide students tools to interpret foreign policy, examines concepts and theories of Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA), conceived as an approach to the study of international politics.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

How can we explain foreign policy decisions? The course, which aims to provide students tools to interpret foreign policy, examines concepts and theories of Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA). The course illustrates foreign policy by focusing on the decision-making process, investigating the interaction among actors and their environment, and devoting special attention to the influence of domestic factors. The course combines the analysis of theories with a comparative study of foreign policy through selected case studies (e.g., the US decisions to send troops in Vietnam in the 1960s and to invade Iraq in 2003; the Italian and German decision-making process related to the military mission in Libya in 2011, etc.)

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The module it aims to illustrate theories and approaches in Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA). familiarize students with the principal alternative approaches to foreign policy as a field Thus,  the module provides the conceptual tools to better understand contemporary debates on foreign policy-making, also through active learning and role-playing. Finally, the module highlights practical skills for students interested in career opportunities in diplomacy and international organizations. 

By attending the module and its activities the students will:

• Understand main theories and approaches in Foreign policy analysis
• Identify and assess a foreign policy
• Examine the role and the nature of actors, contexts, and goals in foreign policy decision-making process
• Examine the influence played by leaders, institutions, bureaucracies and social actors (media, public opinion, experts, interest groups)
• Understand the relationship between international structure and foreign policy
• Enhance proper knowledge to address foreign policy issues
• Understand the roles of diplomacy and psychology in foreign policy
• Understand the features of “grand strategy” (US foreign policy, US-China rivalry, etc.)
• Understand selected foreign policy case studies (the Cuban Missile Crisis; the US decisions to send troops in Vietnam in the 1960s and to invade Iraq in 2003; the Italian and German decision-making process related to the military mission in Libya in 2011, etc.)
• Understand how research centres, international organizations, institutions, and other actors practically deal with foreign policy
• Analyse report, scientific papers, official docs on foreign policy issues
• Present papers and documents in the classroom, also through simulation and role-playing

TEACHING METHODS

Teaching activities will be based also on active learning, role-playing (simulations) and seminars with scholars and experts on the field of foreign policy and diplomacy in order to foster debates and a constant involvement of students. Movies, documents, blogs, papers will be adopted. The course will be entirely provided in English. 

The cours ewill be held in person. However, in case of different rules adopted by the University in order to address the covid crisis, the class will be given also online. the code of Teams will be provided on Aulaweb

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course combines the analysis of theories with a comparative study of foreign policy through selected case studies (e.g., the US decisions to send troops in Vietnam in the 1960s and to invade Iraq in 2003; the Italian and German decision-making process related to the military mission in Libya in 2011, etc.).

Thus, after the first weeks (which aims to familiarize students with the main approaches to foreign policy as a field of study).

The course illustrates foreign policy by focusing on the decision-making process, investigating the interaction among actors and their environment, and devoting special attention to the influence of domestic factors  (e.g., leaders, regime type, coalition government, parties and parliaments, bureaucratic and organizational politics, interest groups, public opinion and media, cultural elements, etc.).

The module illustrates in details:

• What is Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA)
• Theories and approaches in FPA
• Actors and contexts in FPA
• Leaders and Foreign Policy
• Institutions and Foreign Policy
• The role of media and public opinion
• Political parties and Foreign Policy
• Bureaucracy and Foreign Policy
• National Security and Grand Strategy
• Foreign Policy decision making process: approaches and analyses
• Historical Analogies and Metaphors in Foreign Policy Analysis
• Foreign policy case studies (Cuba, Vietnam, Iraq, German and Italian military operations, Italian foreign policy and the EU after the financial crisis, etc.)

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Compulsory texts

Selected chapters (1-6, 8-11, 13-14, 16, 21) from: Steve Smith, Amelia Hadfield, and Tim Dunne (eds.) (2016)Foreign Policy: Theories, Actors, Cases (Oxford University Press), 

Texts at your choice (two for attending students, 4 for non-attending students) 

There will be provided a completed list of papers. For instance the students will selected from some of the following:

Valerie M. Hudson (2005), “Foreign Policy Analysis: Actor-Specific Theory and the Ground of International Relations," Foreign Policy Analysis, Vol. 1, No. 1 (2005), pp. 1-30.

Hudson, V. M. and Vore. C. (1995) “Foreign Policy Analysis- Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” International Studies Review, 39(2)- 209-238.

Coticchia, F. and V. Vignoli, (2019), Italian political parties and military operations. An empirical analysis on voting patterns", Government and Opposition.

F.Coticchia and J.Davidson, (2018),  “The Limits of Radical Parties in Coalition Foreign Policy: Italy, Hijacking, and the Extremity Hypothesis”, Foreign Policy Analysis, Vol 14, Issue 2, 149–168.

Balfour & al., Rosa. 2016. Europe’s Troublemakers: The Populist Challenge to Foreign Policy. Brussels: European Policy Centre.

Chryssogelos, Angelos. 2017. ‘Populism in Foreign Policy’. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics. http://politics.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228637-e-467 (October 20, 2018).

Carati, A., and Locatelli, A. (2017), 'Cui prodest? Italy’s Questionable Involvement in Multilateral Military Operations Amid Ethical Concerns and National interest', International Peacekeeping, 24(1): 1–22.

Dyson,S. 2006. “Personality and Foreign Policy: Tony Blair’s Iraq Decision,” Foreign Policy Analysis, Vol. 2, pp. 289-306.

Haesebrouck, T. (2016), 'Democratic Participation in the Air Strikes Against Islamic State: A Qualitative Comparative Analysis', Foreign Policy Analysis.

Heffington, C. (2018), 'Do Hawks and Doves Deliver? The Words and Deeds of Foreign Policy in Democracies'. Foreign Policy Analysis, 14(1): 64-85.

Kaarbo, J. (2015), 'A Foreign Policy Analysis Perspective on the Domestic Politics Turn in IR Theory', International Studies Review, 17(2): 189–216.

 F.Coticchia and M. Ceccorulli, (2017), “Stick to the plan? Culture, interests, multidimensional threats and Italian defence policy”, Italian Political Science Review/Rivista Italiana di Scienza Politica 47:2, 183–203 

F. Coticchia, C. De Simone (2016), “The war that wasn’t’ there. Framing Italy’s ‘Peace Mission’ in Afghanistan”, Foreign Policy Analysis,  12, 24–46. 

F.Coticchia and M.Ceccorulli,  (2015), “Multidimensional threats and military engagement. The case of the Italian intervention in Libya”, Mediterranean Politics, 2015, vol 20, issue 3, 303-321, 2015.

Bono, G. (2005), 'National Parliaments and EU External Military Operations: Is there any Parliamentary Control?', European Security, 14(2): 203–229.

Carbone, M. (2007), 'The Domestic Foundations of Italy’s Foreign and Development Policies', West European Politics, 30(4): 903–923.

Clare, J. (2010), 'Ideological Fractionalization and the International Conflict Behavior of Parliamentary Democracies', International Studies Quarterly, 54(4): 965–987.

K. J. Holsti. 1970. “National Role Conceptions in the Study of Foreign Policy,” International Studies Quarterly, Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 233-309.

Steven Kull, Clay Ramsay and Evan Lewis. Winter 2003/2004. “Misperceptions, the Media, and the Iraq War,” Political Science Quarterly, Vol. 118, No. 4, pp. 569-598.

Chaim Kaufman. 2004. “Threat Inflation and the Failure of the Marketplace of Ideas: The Selling of the Iraq War,” International Security, Vol. 29, No., pp. 5-48.

Stephen Benedict Dyson. 2007. “Alliances, Domestic Politics, and Leader Psychology: Why Did Britain Stay Out of Vietnam andGo into Iraq?” Political Psychology, Vol. 28, No. 6, pp. 647-666.

Kaarbo, J., and Beasley, R. K. (2008), 'Taking It to the Extreme: The Effect of Coalition Cabinets on Foreign Policy', Foreign Policy Analysis, 4(1): 67–81. 

Mello, P. A., and Peters, D. (2018). 'Parliaments in Security Policy: Involvement, Politicisation, and Influence', The British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 20(1): 1–16.

Oppermann, K., and Brummer, K. (2014), 'Patterns of Junior Partner Influence on the Foreign Policy of Coalition Governments', The British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 16(4): 555–571.

Schuster, J., and Maier, H. (2006), 'The Rift: Explaining Europe’s Divergent Iraq Policies in the Run‐Up of the American‐Led War on Iraq', Foreign Policy Analysis, 2(3): 223–244.

Verbeek, B., and Zaslove, A. (2015). The impact of populist radical right parties on foreign policy: The Northern League as a junior coalition partner in the Berlusconi Governments. European Political Science Review, 7(4): 525–546. 

Wagner, W., Herranz-Surrallés, A., Kaarbo, J., and Ostermann, F. (2017), 'The Party Politics of Legislative-Executive Relations in Security and Defence Policy', West European Politics, 40(1): 20-41. 

Selected chapters from:

J-F. Morin and J. Paquin (2018) Foreign Policy Analysis. A Toolbox. (Palgrave)

F.Coticchia and J.Davidson, (2019) Italian Foreign Policy during Matteo Renzi's Government: A Domestically-Focused Outsider and the World (Lexington)

Horowitz et al (2015), Why leaders fight (Cambridge University Press)

Brighi, E. (2013), Foreign Policy, Domestic Politics and International Relations: The Case of Italy (London: Routledge).

Kaarbo (2013) Coalition Politics and Cabinet Decision Making (Michigan University Press)

Rathbun, B. C. (2004), Partisan Interventions: European Party Politics and Peace Enforcement in the Balkans (Cornell University Press).

G.Goldstein, (2008), Lessons in Disaster: McGeorge Bundy and the Path to War in Vietnam (Palgrave)

M. Breuning (2007) Foreign Policy Analysis. A Comparative Perspective (Palgrave).

R.C. Snyder et al (2002) Foreign Policy Decision-making (revisited) (Palgrave)

Yuen Foong Khong (1992) Analogies at War. Korea, Munich, Dien Bien Phu, and the Vietnam Decisions of 1965. (Princeton University Press)

Jervis, J. (1979) Perceptions and Misperceptions in International Politics (Princeton University Press).

Halberstam, D. (1972) The Best and the Brightest (Random House)

Allison, G. (1971) Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis. (Brown)

G. Rose, Neoclassical Realism and Theories of Foreign Policy, World Politics, Vol. 51, No. 1 (Oct., 1998), pp. 144-172

Christopher Layne, Kant or Cant: “The Myth of the Democratic Peace”, , International Security, Volume 19, Number 2, Fall 1994, pp. 5-49

W. Carlsnaes, The Agency-Structure Problem in Foreign Policy Analysis, International Studies Quarterly, Vol. 36, No. 3 (Sep., 1992), pp. 245-270

Robert Jervis (2013) Do Leaders Matter and How Would We Know?, Security Studies, 22:2, 153-179,

E. Brighi (2006) ‘One Man Alone’? A Longue Durée Approach to Italy's Foreign Policy under Berlusconi, Government & Opposition, 41(2): 278-297

L. Klarevas 2003, The essential domino of public opinion”, International Studies Perspectove

B. Posen and A. Ross, 1997, Competing Visions for U.S. Grand Strategy, International Security, Vol. 21, No. 3 pp. 5-53

G.T. Allison, Conceptual Model and the Cuban Missile Crisis, Rand, 1968. 

Ahsan I. Butt (2019) Why did the United States Invade Iraq in 2003?, Security Studies, 28:2, 250-285

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

FABRIZIO COTICCHIA (President)

GIAMPIERO CAMA (President Substitute)

GIULIO LEVORATO (Substitute)

FABIO MAINA (Substitute)

MATTEO MAZZIOTTI DI CELSO (Substitute)

JEAN-MARIE REURE (Substitute)

MARGHERITA SALVIA (Substitute)

MATTIA SGUAZZINI (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Second Semester - Lessons start in March 2024

See Aulaweb for addtional info.

Class schedule

FOREIGN POLICY ANALYSIS

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral exam

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam will assess the acquired knowledge in the field of foreign policy analysis, evaluation the students’ skills in addressing specific security issues. The exam allows also assessing the student’s capability in interpreting different security scenarios and actors.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

The course contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda 2030:

Goal 4: Quality Education

Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

 “Si consigliano gli studenti con certificazione di DSA, di disabilità o di altri bisogni educativi speciali di contattare sia il referente Prof. Aristide Canepa (aristide.canepa@unige.it), sia il docente, all’inizio del corso, per concordare modalità didattiche e d’esame che, nel rispetto degli obiettivi dell’insegnamento, tengano conto delle modalità di apprendimento individuali e forniscano idonei strumenti compensativi”.