American Foreign Policy: A Framework for Analysis

by William O. Chittick, Lee Ann Pingel (Contributor)

Most people fall victim to the erroneous assumption that, even in democracies, the public has no significant voice in foreign policy and little hope of understanding the decision-making process. American Foreign Policy, the first book to present American foreign policy in full historical context, overturns that assumption. Chittick introduces an original model that becomes the basis for a concise yet comprehensive framework that the reader can use to analyze and predict foreign policy developments. In finding out how to apply this model to American foreign policy past and present, we gain understanding not only of the broad historical canvas of consistency and change in foreign policy, but also of our own place in the framework. The book offers an innovative perspective on a number of topics as related to foreign policy, including the press, public opinion, presidential decision-making, bureaucracy, congress, pressure groups, plus the role of foundations, think tanks, and policy discussion groups in foreign policy. It also deals with community issues, seldom covered in books on foreign policy, such as immigration, refugees, and environmental justice.

536 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 2006