Foreign Policy Analysis

This readable and insightful treatise on foreign policy theory draws together strands from several schools of foreign policy research united by a common focus on the decision-making processes within states. Students will find this book highly useful in analyzing the complex configurations of agents that shape the political universe of the twenty-first century. -- Stephen G. Walker, Arizona State University Valerie Hudson forcefully demonstrates the necessity of engaging in foreign policy analysis grounded in human decision making as the foundation for theory-building in international politics. To build her case she mines critical insights from over a half century of scholarship. New students and seasoned professionals will find her bold integrative perspective both provocative and instructive. -- Charles F. Hermann, George Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University A powerful analysis of literature, assumptions, and concepts that will be useful to students at undergraduate and graduate levels in history, political science, and international relations. -- Marie Hooper, Oklahoma City University This is a compelling and rewarding book that makes one wonder why it was not written years ago. Using an explicit conceptualization, rich detail, and a wide range of historical illustrations to depict an analytic focus that has preoccupied observers for a long time, Hudson has done a masterful job of synthesizing diverse materials that will be of great value in both the classroom and policymaking circles. -- James N. Rosenau, The George Washington University

Valerie M. Hudson is professor and George H. W. Bush Chair at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University.

Part I: Overview and Evolution of Foreign Policy Analysis Chapter 1: Introduction: The Situation and Evolution of Foreign Policy Analysis: A Road Map Part II: Levels of Analysis Chapter 2: The Individual Decisionmaker: The Political Psychology of World Leaders Chapter 3: Group Decisionmaking: Small Group Dynamics, Organizational Process, and Bureaucratic Politics Chapter 4: Culture and National Identity Chapter 5: Domestic Politics and Opposition Chapter 6: The Levels of National Attributes and International System: Effects on Foreign Policy Part III: Putting It All Together, or Not Chapter 7: Theoretical Integration in Foreign Policy Analysis: Promise and Frustration Chapter 8: The Future of Foreign Policy Analysis-and You