Free Instructor’s Manual available online at ccusfp.cqpress.com.

Crafting foreign policy today is a pluralistic process—more actors are involved, partisan loyalties are stronger, and decisions made elsewhere impact the U.S. in significant ways. The president, members of Congress, interest groups, NGOs, the media, and bureaucratic actors all compete to influence the way U.S. foreign policy is shaped and implemented. Editor Ralph Carter captures this interplay with 15 recent real-world cases—five brand new to this third edition. Whether grappling with the controversy stemming from immigration reform, dealing with Iran’s nuclear weapons program, exploring the impact of the WTO and export tax subsidies, or determining the rights of detainees in the war on terrorism, students are encouraged to question motives, consider alternatives, and analyze outcomes.

Each case is consistently structured with a list of “before-you-begin” questions that frame the issues, introductory and background sections, a timeline of important events, and a descriptive list of key actors.

Introduction

I. Intervention Policy

1. The United States vs. Terrorism: Clinton, Bush, and Osama Bin Laden
Ryan C. Hendrickson and Frédérick Gagnon

2. The Return of the Imperial Presidency? The Bush Doctrine and U.S. Intervention in Iraq
Jeffrey S. Lantis and Eric Moskowitz

3. Coca, Human Rights, and Violence: U.S. Foreign Policy toward Colombia
Jennifer S. Holmes

II. National Security and Defense Policy

4. The Nuclear Standoff between the United States and Iran: Conflict, Misunderstandings and Diplomatic Inflexibility
Thomas Preston and Michael P. Infranco

5. The United States and North Korea: Avoiding aWorst-Case Scenario
Patrick James and Özgür Özdamar

6. Anatomy of a Crash: Port Security and the 2006 Dubai PortsWorld Controversy
Douglas C. Foyle

7. NSA Eavesdropping: Unchecked or Limited Presidential Power?
Louis Fisher

8. Immigration Policy: U.S.Mexican Relations Confront U.S. Political Realities
Mark R. Rosenblum

III. Trade Policy

9. U.S. Steel Import Tariffs: The Politics of Global Markets
Robert A. Blecker

10. The Helms-Burton Act: Congress and Cuba Policy
Patrick J. Haney and Walt Vanderbush

11. Sino-American Trade Relations: Privatizing Foreign Policy
Steven W. Hook and Franklin Barr Lebo

IV. Multilateral Policy

12. The WTO and Export Tax Subsidies: Equal Competition or Corporate Welfare?
Wendy J. Schiller and Ralph G. Carter

13. The Kyoto Protocol and Beyond: The Politics of Climate Change
Rodger A. Payne and Sean Payne

14. The International Criminal Court: 105 Nations Join, But Not the United States
Donald W. Jackson and Ralph G. Carter

15. The Rights of Detainees: Determining the Limits of Law
Linda Cornett and Mark Gibney

Conclusion

“Contemporary Cases in U.S. Foreign Policy is an excellent choice for instructors who encourage the widest possible level of student participation. The information in the nuanced case studies allows class discussions to explore many dimensions of a policy issue, as opposed to simple ‘pro/con’ debates that polarize the learning environment. Well-written and accessible to students, the wide-ranging topics will permit students to link real world issues to a variety of theoretical companion readings.”

“In this edition, Carter manages to bring together in one volume a painstakingly thorough and an insightful examination of a wide array of contemporary issues in American foreign policy—from terrorism and the menace of nuclear proliferation to trade, immigration, human rights and multilateralism. By skillfully demonstrating the consequences of the recent trend in American foreign policy on America’s long-standing political institutions, processes and culture, Carter has successfully produced an enormously compelling read for students, scholars, practitioners and the wider public.”

Ralph G. Carter is professor and chair of the political science department at Texas Christian University. His research interests focus on U.S. foreign, trade, and defense policies and on the domestic sources of such policymaking, with particular attention on the role of Congress. He is coauthor with James Scott of Choosing to Lead: Understanding Congressional Foreign Policy Entrepreneurs (forthcoming) and with John Rourke and Mark Boyer of Making American Foreign Policy. In 2006, he received the Quincy Wright Distinguished Scholar Award from the Midwest Region of the International Studies Association. Currently, he is one of the editors of the ISA journal Foreign Policy Analysis and has previously served ISA as president of its Midwest Region, president of its Foreign Policy Analysis Section, and as a member of its Executive Committee and Governing Council. He has also served as a member of the program committee of the American Political Science Association. His PhD is from the Ohio State University.