Foreign Policy Analysis Dersi 2. Ünite Sorularla Öğrenelim

According to analyses that attempt to explain foreign policy on this level, international system is the strongest if not the only determinant of foreign policy decisions. The system level explores dynamics such as the nature and the rules of the international system, distribution of power among states and other actors like the international or transnational organisations, the number of poles in the system, etc.

They assume that interest of states do not clash, and they are more inclined to cooperation than conflict. Domestic political structures of states could also further this inclination.They believe that if democratic regimes are spread and enhanced, peace would again be secured since democratic sates are less likely to go to war with each other.

Regional protectors place emphasis on the function of providing protection for adjacent regions.

Behavioural approaches have developed as part of the methodological critiques of rational choice theory. According to this, rationality is not absolute and is constrained by other dynamics that should be included in the analysis of foreign policy.

Bastion of revolution-liberators are states who see their task as to o liberate others or to act as the “bastion” or revolutionary movements;

Realist theories were formulated in the post-Second World War era, influenced by the idea that idealist theories failed since they proved unsuccessful in preventing or even foreseeing another world war.

According to Holsti, “those responsible for making decisions and taking actions for the state are aware of international status distinctions and that their policies reflect this awareness.” This is to say that foreign policy decision makers are aware of the position of their state in the international system that is determined by the extent of foreign commitments, military capabilities, prestige, economic and technological levels.

First events are observable foreign policy behaviours of states;

Second events are regarded as official behaviours;

Third events are non-routine foreign policy acts;

Fourth the underlying motivation behind the ‘events’ is to influence the behaviour of other states;

Fifth events are events are purposeful, goal directed, rational, deliberate behaviours undertaken to achieve specific results

Constructivism in the broadest sense refers to theories that see the world as being socially constructed. Socially constructed world means that the existence of patterns, cause-and-effect relationships, and even states themselves depend on webs of meaning and practices that constitute them.

According to this approach, “events could be compared along behavioural dimensions, such as whether positive or negative a ect was being displayed, or what instruments of statecraft (e.g., diplomatic, military, economics, etc.) were used in the in uence attempt, or what level of commitment of resources was evident”, and thus behaviour as disparate as a war, a treaty, and a state visit can be compared and aggregated in a theoretically meaningful fashion

Active independent's role conception emphasises at once independence, self- determination, possible mediation functions, and active programs to extend diplomatic and commercial relations to diverse areas of the world.

Just like comparative foreign policy approach, it is an approach that aims to formulate meaningful patterns out of foreign policy interactions. Likewise, it is an empirical approach and bases the analysis on observable data. The data should also be verifiable. Therefore, it is not interested in social, psychological cultural dynamics or motives and perceptions of the decision makers which constitute the main analysis of the decision making approach.

There are three levels in it its analyses as: the international level, national or state level, and the individual level.

Singer does not define the individual level as a separate level of analysis and places it in the state/ nation level. He defines the state level analysis as the investigation of the processes by which national goals are selected, the internal and external factors that have impact on those processes, and the institutional framework from which they emerge.

The analyses on state level have to take into consideration material dynamics such as the size of the country, geopolitical positions, resources, economy and population as well as the nature of the state such as the political system and institution.

Being formulated after the First World War, idealist theory of IR has been concerned with ways to prevent wars. Consequently, they opt out war as a foreign policy instrument in their analysis. Their approach to human nature is inspired by liberalism, and hence optimistic, in the sense that it perceives human nature as good and inclined to cooperation rather than conflict. Therefore, the causes of war cannot be found in human nature. e human beings are all rational in their behaviours. It is due to rationality that idealists believe that human beings would deny war and seek and support ways that would build and sustain peace.

The most common methodologies in this context are decision-making approach, comparative foreign policy approach, case study approach, event data approach, prospect theory approach and role theory approach.

There are different stages of decision-making from problem recognition, framing, and perception to more advanced stages of goal prioritisation, contingency planning, and option assessment.

Whereas comparative foreign policy approach attempt to formulate a generalisable theory of foreign policy, case-study approach claims that each state has a unique foreign policy.

Regional leader refers to duties or special responsibilities that a government perceives for itself in its relation to states in a particular region with which it identifies, or to cross-cutting subsystems such as international communist movements.