American Foreign Policy

This course explores America's role in the world. The goal of the class is to help students critically analyze the major dynamics shaping U.S. foreign policy today, as well as to understand theoretical perspectives on foreign policymaking. There are three major elements: a study of the history of American foreign relations since the 19th century; an analysis of the causes of American foreign policy such as the international system, public opinion, and the media; and a discussion of the major policy issues in contemporary U.S. foreign policy, including terrorism, the rise of China, and climate change.