The New Foreign Policy: Complex Interactions, Competing Interests

by Laura Neack

Overview

Integrating theory and case studies, this cogent text explores the processes and factors that shape foreign policy. In her thoroughly revised and updated edition, Laura Neack considers both old and new lessons, drawing on a rich array of real foreign policy choices and outcomes. In new cases, Neack explores decision making in the Eurozone crisis, increasing nationalism in Germany and Japan and what seems to be growing bellicosity among Canadians, Obama’s grand strategy and the responses of rising powers Brazil and India, and the Egyptian youth revolution. Following a levels-of-analysis organization, the author considers all elements that influence foreign policy, including the role of leaders, bargaining, national image, political culture, public opinion, the media, and nonstate actors.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781442220072
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	08/08/2013
Series:	New Millennium Books in International Studies
Edition description:	Third Edition
Pages:	260
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Laura Neack is professor of political science at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction: The New Foreign Policy
Chapter 2: Rational Actors and National Interests
Chapter 3: Cognitive Misers and Distrusting Leaders
Chapter 4: Decision Units, Small Groups, and Autonomous Groups
Chapter 5: National Self-Image, Culture, and Domestic Institutions
Chapter 6: Domestic Politics
Chapter 7: Public Opinion and Media
Chapter 8: Great Powers in General, the United States Specifically
Chapter 9: Competitors, Rising Powers, and Allies
Chapter 10: Conclusion: A Nested Game with Many Players

Editorial Reviews

Students find Neack's writing, with her use of many real-world examples, very interesting and accessible. The book's coverage of foreign policy scholarship is comprehensive and up-to-date and nicely introduces key theoretical ideas from foreign policy analysis.

Juliet Kaarbo

A clear, balanced, and accessible text with no gratuitous jargon. A solid work.

Robert J. Beck

Given my location in an English-speaking university in the Middle East, I work very hard to find texts in English that do not alienate my students. Neack does a great job of teaching the theory behind foreign policy analysis and gives numerous and diverse examples in the process.

Jennifer Skulte-Ouaiss

Neack's (political science, Miami U. in Oxford, Ohio) undergraduate text examines the changing character of contemporary foreign policy making. At the individual level, Neack discusses how scholars have studied leadership, rational decision making, cognition, leaders' moral positions and value stands. At the state level, she explores the shaping of foreign policy by national self-image and culture, democratic institutions and peaceful foreign policy, and the influences of domestic political opposition, partisan politics, public opinion, interest groups, and the media. At the system level, Neack discusses the interaction of power and position on foreign policy behavior. She then examines multilevel policy analysis, and the influence of nonstate actors on policy making. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

This dense yet apprehensible volume is made more accessible via the use of extensive cases to clarify the practical application of scholarly tools. Brief outlines of the content of each chapter's main subject areas significantly enhance the book's utility. Recommended.” —Choice Reviews

“Students find Neack's writing, with her use of many real-world examples, very interesting and accessible. The book's coverage of foreign policy scholarship is comprehensive and up-to-date and nicely introduces key theoretical ideas from foreign policy analysis.” —Juliet Kaarbo, University of Edinburgh

“Very readable and interesting. Various vignettes are used to good advantage to illustrate multiple perspectives on foreign policy analysis. A nice flagship publication.” —Ole R. Holsti, Duke University

“A clear, balanced, and accessible text with no gratuitous jargon. A solid work.” —Robert J. Beck, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

“The New Foreign Policy is a well-written, well-organized undergraduate text which integrates theory and examples well and is congruent with the way in which many professors want to introduce foreign policy to their students. I recommend it.” —Donald A. Sylvan, The Ohio State University

“Given my location in an English-speaking university in the Middle East, I work very hard to find texts in English that do not alienate my students. Neack does a great job of teaching the theory behind foreign policy analysis and gives numerous and diverse examples in the process.” —Jennifer Skulte-Ouaiss, Lebanese American University in Beirut

From the Publisher

Very readable and interesting. Various vignettes are used to good advantage to illustrate multiple perspectives on foreign policy analysis. A nice flagship publication.

Ole R. Holsti

The New Foreign Policy is a well-written, well-organized undergraduate text which integrates theory and examples well and is congruent with the way in which many professors want to introduce foreign policy to their students. I recommend it.

Donald A. Sylvan

This dense yet apprehensible volume is made more accessible via the use of extensive cases to clarify the practical application of scholarly tools. Brief outlines of the content of each chapter's main subject areas significantly enhance the book's utility. Recommended.

Choice Reviews

This dense yet apprehensible volume is made more accessible via the use of extensive cases to clarify the practical application of scholarly tools. Brief outlines of the content of each chapter's main subject areas significantly enhance the book's utility. Recommended.

Choice