American Foreign Policy: A Framework for Analysis / Edition 1

by William O. Chittick

Overview

How can students best understand the ideas that animate U.S. foreign policy decisions and the processes that facilitate them? How can they come to terms with the motivations that guide these decision makers? In his distinctive new text, William O. Chittick identifies three value orientations—security, economic, and community—that fundamentally shape U.S. foreign policy choices. Chittick argues that it’s not enough to look at only one of these dimensions—security, in the case of most traditional texts—or even one at a time. Instead, he makes a cogent and convincing case for the systematic study of all three and explains why privileging any one dimension over another leads to oversimplification and faulty decision making. Once students are shown how these value orientations work together in complex and interesting ways, they in turn can bring richer, more insightful analysis to the field.

Chittick applies the book’s cohesive analytical framework throughout, covering the history of U.S. foreign policy as well as such contemporary issues as humanitarian interventions, global environmental problems, and international terrorism. He carefully weighs the criteria for different policy options and explores their utility: how effective are trade sanctions? What is the best way to pursue economic development in underdeveloped nations? This comprehensive overview of the policymaking process considers the many policy inputs—the foreign and domestic political, economic, and cultural factors that shape U.S. foreign policy outputs—from the perspective of the three dimensions.

Special features worth noting:

• Part openers provide useful and comprehensive overviews of each section of the book.
• Unique tables and figures help students understand and apply the framework. Maps and photos further enhance student comprehension.
• Key terms are bolded throughout the book and listed at the end of each chapter to enable students to identify core concepts.
• Suggested reading lists at the end of chapters provide rich sources for further study.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781933116624
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	02/09/2006
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	536
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

William O. Chittick is an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Georgia. He has written books and articles about American foreign policy, public opinion, and the press. He taught courses in American foreign policy, international relations, and global policy analysis. He is former President of the International Studies Association/South and former Head of the Public Opinion and Foreign Policy Section (now Foreign Policy Analysis Section) of the American Political Science Association.

Table of Contents

Boxes, Tables, Figures, and Maps     xix
Preface     xxv
An Inclusive Framework for Foreign Policy Analysis   Lee Ann Pingel     1
The Definition and Nature of Foreign Policy     4
Who Acts in Foreign Affairs?     4
Where Does the Action Take Place?     8
Rational Explanations of Foreign Policy: Rationalists and Political Psychologists     10
How Do Rationalists Explain Foreign Policy?     11
How Do Political Psychologists Explain Foreign Policy?     12
The Logic of the Three Basic Approaches to Foreign Policy     14
The Case for Treating These Approaches Separately     16
The Case for Treating These Approaches Collectively     16
A New Framework for Analysis     17
The Structure of Foreign Policy Values     18
Dimensions of Foreign Policy     22
Integrating the Three Dimensions of Foreign Policy     28
Organization of the Book     32
Key Concepts     35
Suggested Readings     35
The History of American Foreign Policy     37
The Nation's Formative Period: 1607-1865   Lee Ann Pingel     41
Europe's Transition from Absolutism to Enlightenment     42
TheAge of Absolutism     42
The Age of Enlightenment     47
The Colonial Period in America: 1607-1776     48
Years Leading Up to the French and Indian War: 1607-1754     49
From the French and Indian War to 1776     52
The Wars of Independence: 1776-1815     55
The Confederal Period: 1776-1788     55
Federalist Period: 1789-1800     61
The Republican Period: 1801-1815     65
Growth and Segmentation: 1815-1865     68
Growth and Expansion: 1815-1849     69
Identity Crisis: 1850-1865     75
Conclusion     79
Key Concepts     81
Suggested Readings     81
The Transition Period: 1866-1941   Lee Ann Pingel     82
The European System after the Napoleonic Wars     84
Liberalism and Nationalism     84
Industrialization     85
Redistribution of Power in Europe     86
Redistribution of Power at the Global Level     87
The American System after the Civil War     91
Intervention Within: 1866-1889     91
Intervention Without: 1890-1920     98
Intervention Postponed: 1921-1932     108
Intervention Delayed: 1933-1941     110
Conclusion     113
Key Concepts     114
Suggested Readings     115
The Hegemonic Period: 1942-Present   Lee Ann Pingel     116
Defeating Germany and Japan, 1942-1945     117
How the War Was Won     117
How the War Defined Post-war Issues     119
Restoring Industrial Centers: 1946-1952     124
Events in Europe in the Immediate Post-war Period     127
Events in East Asia in the Immediate Post-war Period     128
Securing Colonial Areas: 1953-1968     133
Prosperity Values     133
Community Values     135
Security Values     138
Balancing Commitments and Capabilities: 1969-1984     143
Ending the Vietnam War     145
Nixon and Detente     146
Carter and Human Rights     149
Reasserting American Preponderance: 1979-1984     150
Reagan and the Evil Empire     152
From an Improbable Victory to Preemptive War     153
Reagan and Gorbachev     153
George H. W. Bush and the New World Order     154
Enlargement and Engagement under Clinton     156
From Multilateralism to Unilateralism      157
George W. Bush and Preemptive War     158
Conclusion     160
Key Concepts     160
Suggested Readings     160
Contemporary Foreign Policy     161
Community Policies: Humanitarian Intervention and Environmental Justice     163
Identifying Foreign Policy Objectives     164
The Dispositions of Foreign Policy Actors     165
Different Perceptions     167
Value Preferences     174
Identifying Foreign Policy Options     176
Immigration and Refugee Policy     178
Human Rights Policy     183
Choosing the Best Foreign Policy     190
Humanitarian Intervention     191
Environmental Justice     194
Conclusion     198
Key Concepts     198
Suggested Readings     199
Security Policy: International Terrorism, Nuclear Weapons, and Instability in Developing Countries   Lee Ann Pingel     200
Ordering Value Preferences     201
Dispositions     201
Perceptions     202
Preferences     209
Identifying the Options     211
Traditional Methods     212
Nontraditional Methods     216
Selecting the Most Relevant Option: International Terrorism     222
Choosing the Best or Most Appropriate Foreign Policy Option     225
Applying the Three Criteria     226
Nuclear Weapons Control     229
Instability in Developing Countries     234
Conclusion     237
Key Concepts     237
Suggested Readings     237
Economic Policy: Investment, Trade, Development, and Sanctions     239
Defining Value Preferences     240
Dispositions     240
Perceptions     244
Preferences     251
Identifying All Options     253
U.S. Economic Growth Policies     254
U.S. Equitable Growth Policies     257
Multilateral Economic Growth Policies     259
Multilateral Equitable Growth Policies     261
Choosing the Best Economic Policy     263
Economic Development     264
Economic Sanctions     270
Conclusion     275
Key Concepts     276
Suggested Readings     276
The Foreign Policy Making Process     277
The Actors Inside and Outside Government     281
Foreign Affairs Organizations     282
The Role of Government     283
The Role of Civil Society     284
Samples of People in Foreign Affairs Organizations     287
Do NGO Leaders Make Foreign Policy?     289
Are NGO Leaders as Involved as Government Officials in Policy Making?     289
Do NGO Leaders Act Autonomously in Foreign Affairs?     293
Are NGO Leaders Really Important Players in Foreign Affairs?     295
Approaches to Studying Foreign Policy Making     302
Rational Actor Model     303
Institutionalism     304
Organizational Behavior Model     305
Governmental Politics Model     306
Majoritarianism     306
Pluralism     306
Elitism     307
Conclusion     308
Key Concepts     308
Suggested Readings     308
Institutionalism: Congress and the Executive     310
Institutionalism and Its Limits     311
Institutions and Institutionalism     311
The Limits of Institutionalism     313
The U.S. Constitution and Crisis Foreign Policies     314
The Formal Institutions of Government     315
Congress, the President, and Foreign Policy     318
The President and Crisis Foreign Policies     323
Divided Government and Strategic Foreign Policies     323
Strategic Issues     324
Political Parties and Elections     325
Effect of Elections and Partisanship on Strategic Foreign Policies     329
Congress and Regular Foreign Policies     335
Regular Issues     335
The Two Chambers     336
Parties in Congress     337
Committees     338
Individual Issue Advocates     341
Conclusion     342
Key Concepts     342
Suggested Readings     343
Organizational Behavior Model: The Foreign Affairs Bureaucracy     344
Organizational Behavior Model     345
The Model     345
Limits of the Model     354
Diplomatic Organizations     354
Embassies     355
State Department     357
Military Organizations     360
Inter-service Rivalry     361
Civil-Military Relations     365
Economic Organizations and Processes     367
Interagency Committees     368
Trade Policy     369
Intelligence Organizations and Processes     371
Intelligence Collection and Analysis     372
Covert Actions     374
Conclusion     376
Key Concepts     376
Suggested Readings     377
Governmental Politics Model: The President and His Advisors     378
Governmental Politics Model and Its Limitations     379
Specifications of the Model     379
Failure of the Hostage Rescue Effort in Iran     380
Limitations     381
Players     382
Chiefs     382
Staffs     384
Career Bureaucrats     384
Influences on Players     385
Differences among Individuals     386
Differences among Position-holders     393
Small Group Decision Making     401
Theory     401
Praxis     406
Conclusion     411
Key Concepts     413
Suggested Readings     413
Majoritarianism: Political Culture and Public Opinion   Lee Ann Pingel     414
Majoritarianism and Its Limits     415
Political Culture and Foreign Policy     416
American Community as Democracy      418
Morality in American Security Policy     419
The Expectation of Prosperity     420
Mood Cycles     422
Public Opinion and Foreign Policy     422
How Are Public Opinion Polls Conducted?     423
What Impact Do Opinion Polls Have?     424
Should Public Opinion Polls Be Taken Seriously?     427
Public Opinion and Political Culture     431
Public Interest Poll Findings on Community     431
Public Interest Poll Findings on Security     433
Public Interest Poll Findings on Prosperity     434
Why Is Public Opinion So Different from Political Culture?     436
Political Leadership and Public Opinion     440
Nixon and Detente     440
Carter and Human Rights     442
Reagan and Rearmament     443
George W. Bush and Unilateralism     445
Conclusion     446
Key Concepts     446
Suggested Readings     446
Pluralism: Organized Pressure     447
Pluralism and Its Limitations     449
Foreign Policy Attitudes of Organization Leaders     451
Organizations Based on Community Values     454
Ethnicity     454
Race      456
Religion     458
Organizations Based on Security Values     463
Political Parties and Ideology     464
Political Movements and Organizations     465
Committee on the Present Danger     465
Organizations Based on Prosperity Values     469
Business Organizations     470
Labor     475
Professional Organizations     477
Regional Differences     477
Pluralism and Fast-Track Authority     481
Key Concepts     482
Suggested Readings     482
Elitism: Policy Planning and the Media     483
Elite Theory and Its Limitations     484
Elite Beliefs     486
Elite Strategies     489
Policy-Planning Functions     491
The Policy-Planning Network     491
Foreign Policy Contributions     495
Elites and Policy Planning in the Post-Cold War World     500
The Mass Communications Media     504
Elite or Mass?     504
Foreign Policy News     507
Conclusion     517
Key Concepts     518
Suggested Readings     518
Democracy and Foreign Policy      519
Democratic and Undemocratic Sources of Foreign Policy     522
Democratic Sources     522
Undemocratic Influences     526
Democratic Foreign Policy and International Outcomes     529
Outcomes Implied by a Hobbesian World     529
Outcomes Implied by a Lockean World     533
Outcomes Implied by a Kantian World     535
Suggested Readings     536
Notes     537
Index     567