Topics in IR: Foreign Policy Decision-making

This seminar takes an in-depth look at how foreign policy decisions are made. We focus on several high-stakes decisions by the U.S. and critically explore the conflicts, crises or seminal events, through the perspective of the decision makers. The goal is to better understand how and why decisions--on issues such as war and peace, negotiations posture, or other diplomatic initiatives--are made. We adopt the perspective of diplomatic practitioners and policymakers, weighing questions of perception and misperception, the role of domestic politics, the media, intelligence, ideology, bureaucratic structures, or personal ethics.