Although a state's foreign policy is shaped by its unique culture, history, and political system, all states share the same challenge: they must contend with new global forces that are changing the way nations interact. Economic liberalization, democratization, self-determination, regionalism, as well as the growing power of international organizations heavily influence the actions of states both at home and on the world stage.
At last there is a modern comparative foreign policy text. In one accessible volume, fifteen scholars systematically explore the foreign policies of thirteen nations, covering both major and emerging players. Linking the study of international relations to domestic politics, the authors highlight the importance of both internal and external forces in foreign policymaking. Rather than consolidate countries into regional categories, Foreign Policy in Comparative Perspective treats each nation according to its individual history and contemporary dilemmas, allowing authors to address both shared concerns within a region and the unique struggles facing a particular country.
Enabling comparative analysis, the book's theoretical framework helps students discern patterns to better understand why a state acts as it does in foreign affairs. Each country chapter includes:
- an introduction by the volume's editors that points to similar developments in other countries, reinforcing comparison and analysis;
- a discussion of the linkages between external and internal factors and the implications for future foreign policy;
- a map to place countries within geographical context; and
- a list of suggested readings for further information.
Reviews
"I do not believe that I have previously seen a volume that covers such a range of national foreign policy. This text examines the foreign policies of countries in regions worldwide-that diversity is a definite plus."
- Valerie M. Hudson, Brigham Young University
"One of the great strengths of this book is its use of historical methodology. Each chapter is essentially a history of foreign policy, a history that is told in such a way as to make the chapter as relevant as possible to current and future policy."
- William H. Meyer, University of Delaware"The editors of this volume have assembled an interesting array of foreign policy case studies within a genuinely comparative foreign policy framework. They address the problems of explaining continuity and change in foreign policy as well as accounting for differences between the foreign policies of states in countries from several regions, including Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. The authors of the single-country studies strike a good balance between presenting the foreign policies of their respective countries and analyzing the domestic processes and political leaders that generate foreign policy decisions. They also attempt to link internal foreign policy dynamics with larger external factors in world politics, such as globalization, interdependence, democratization, and the role of military power. I recommend this book highly for undergraduate courses in foreign policy and world politics."
- Stephen G. Walker, Arizona State University"Foreign Policy in Comparative Perspective discusses the substance of foreign policy in a way that is rooted in an underlying theoretical analysis. Interesting and imaginative, this is an excellent volume that can be used in a relatively wide variety of courses."
- Joe Hagan, West Virginia University
Bio(s)
Ryan K. Beasley, Baker University
Juliet Kaarbo, University of Kansas
Jeffrey S. Lantis, College of Wooster
Michael T. Snarr, Wilmington College
