Foreign+Policymaking

Power Points:

Description: In this section we continue to look at specific public policy areas, in this case foreign policy. In the attached material we willl walk through the various aspects of foreign policy, which includes the multiple ways that the US interacts with other nations.

Goals: After reading through the material above, you should be able to address the following questions:

- What types of specific policies does the term "foreign policy" refer to? Be able to define and describe these different policies. How are these policies distinct? How are they complimentary? - What are the goals of foreign policy? What does the nation attempt to accomplish through foreign policy? - What does the US Constitution state regarding foreign policy? Where are the gray areas? - Be familiar with the various issues associated with war (what a war is in fact) and the need to declare wars. - What principle institutions are involved in foreign policy? What are their functions and what relationships exist between them? Do they tend to cooperate? If not why not? - What do we know about public opinion on foreign policy? What sorts of things do people agree about? What sorts of things do they disagree about? - How much money is spent on foreign policy? How much is psent on different aspects of public policy? - What are the arguments in favor and against vigorous participation by the US in foreign affairs? - What is the history of foreign policy in the United States? What are the major landmark events in foreign policy history in US history? - What are the unique issues related to defense, diplomacy and development? - Be familiar with the multiple tranformations in foreign policy following World War 2. What legislation and institutions were part of this transition? - What are the principle ongoing controbersies regarding foreign policy?