ASTK18011U Core Subject: Theory and Practice in Foreign Policy

The aim of the course is to offer a comprehensive introduction to the theory and practice of foreign policy.

The first part of the course focuses on theory. It reconstructs the history of Foreign Policy Analysis and define a theoretical roadmap. We discuss the main theoretical traditions including various approaches within each tradition and their applicability for understanding different aspects of foreign policy. Discussion include International Relations theories such as Realism, Liberalism, Constructivism and Post-Structuralism as well as specific theories and models for foreign policy analysis.

The second part of the course focuses on practice. We discuss topics such as security policy, foreign economic policy, diplomacy, US foreign policy, the EU as a foreign policy actors and the foreign policy of rising powers and small states. Guest lecturers, including practitioners, will join us to share their experience as policy-makers and offer their view on current affairs. Students will choose their own paper topics within the overall thematic of the course and discuss these with other students and lecturers in two paper workshops.

This course enhances the students’ ability to think critically and to combine complex theories with insights from the contemporary political world. Emphasis will be on the ability to present a coherent argument, to discuss and evaluate competing claims, and to write in concise and clear manner. The course will be relevant for students interested in working with complex issues in politics and elsewhere.