Course syllabus

Course Convener, Principal Lecturer, and Discussion Leader:

Associate Professor Stephen Hoadley
s.hoadley@auckland.ac.nz
Human Sciences Building, Room 511
Tel: (09) 373 7599 extn 87031

Office Hours: 
Tuesday 12-1 PM or Wednesday 11-11:45 AM or 1-2 PM.  Or by appointment. Or take a chance and drop in.

TUTOR:

James Halpin

Office hours 9-11am Tuesdays. Venue HSB Room 525. I am more than happy to meet outside of those hours if you get in touch with me. Contact jhal998@aucklanduni.ac.nz or @JamesWHalpin on Twitter. 

 

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course compares and contrasts the foreign policies of the United States, Great Britain, the European Union, Russia, and China and their interactions with each other, with other states, and with international and substate organisations.    It touches on the institutions, politics and processes of foreign policy decision-making of those governments, principally on diplomacy, trade, and security, and relations with international organisations. The paradigm of neo-classical realism provides intellectual structure to the course.  It illustrates the view that foreign policy-making is an interest-driven but ultimately risk management, pragmatic problem-solving and decision-making activity by individuals working through government institutions, all of which are profoundly affected by domestic political and institutional pressures as well as by international threats and opportunities.

PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES OF THIS COURSE

• To provide students with basic information on the national interests, foreign policy institutions, processes, aims, collaborations, disputes, and policy outcomes and interactions of America, Britain, Europe, Russia, and China, and those of the other states, regions, and international organisations with which they interact.
• To alert students to scholarly, journalistic, and critical interpretations of the origins, structures, processes, and political issues surrounding key policies of the case study states. 
• To enhance students’ ability to make comparative assessments of foreign policy initiatives by applying relevant criteria and paradigms in a balanced fashion.
• To sharpen students’ skills and deepen experience in perceptive listening, efficient research, discriminating analysis, critical thinking, and accurate writing. 
• Indirectly, to prepare students for career work in policy analysis and advocacy in governments, international organisations, NGOs, media, education, and commercial institutions.

 COURSE FORMAT AND STRUCTURE

The course comprises a series of approximately 24 lectures, mainly on the foreign policy interests, institutions, outputs, and interactions of 1) the United States, 2) the United Kingdom, 3) the European Union, 4) Russia and 5) China.  Comparisons and contrasts between these states' foreign policies and interactions will be highlighted and assessed for relative effectiveness. The two lectures per week are supplemented by a Discussion Hour each week at which the lecturer-tutor will conduct educational group exercises and quizzes, lead discussions of lecture topics and readings and offer guidance on essay and exam writing techniques. Students will write two essays, take ten brief quizzes, compose one outline of a virtual talk, and take a final examination. 

The course content is to be structured in four parts. 

Part I (two hours) will introduce the state system, the great powers, the neo-classical realist paradigm, and the Post-World War II international institutions, laws, rules, and norms. 

Part II (ten hours) will trace the evolution of the national interests and institutions of the great powers:  US, UK, EU, Russia, and China. 

Part III (ten hours) will analyse current international issues from the points of view of the major powers.  Among them will be:

• Trump Administration's trade and economic policy initiatives and partners' reactions;
• Russian encroachments in Georgia and Ukraine and consequent US and EU sanctions;
• China's initiatives in the South China Sea, East China Sea, and Taiwan [China's One Road One Belt policies may be touched on as time permits];
• Terrorism and Middle East wars and energy resources and what major powers can do about them; and
• nuclear and conventional arms control such as the collapse of the INF treaty and dealing with North Korea and Iran and the Indo-Pakistan stand-off.  

Part IV (two hours) will speculate on longer-term geo-political trends and scenarios, taking into account also the influences of middle powers such as India, Japan, Germany and others.

No textbook covering this range of topics is available.  Students are expected to conduct their own search of Library books and articles, 'think tank' and journalistic analyses, official websites, and the internet.   Introductory readings and PowerPoints will be uploaded to Files.  The lecturer is happy to assist students with topic refinement, source searches, and essay structuring. 

TIP: a good way to become aware of current issues is to tune into radio and TV news reports and access news providers around the world. Below are several sources of global news.  TVNZ, TV3, and Radio NZ (National) also carry international news.  You may access live media feeds via:   Library -->  Catalogue -->TV and Radio -->  Live Streaming.

For print news, access  NZ Herald,  BBCNews, New York Times, Washington Post, etc.   Or Google-search an event of interest using keywords.

Global news on TV                      channel

Sky News (Australia)                    85

CNN (US, liberal))                        87

Fox (US, Alt-right)                        88

BBC (UK)                                         89

Al Jazeera (Doha, Qatar)          90

CNBC (US, mainstream)            91

RT (Russia)                                      92

CGTN (China)                              310

Also see History Channel (documentaries)       73

COURSE ASSESSMENT FOR POLITICS 300:

• MULTICHOICE OR FILL-IN QUIZZES AT DISCUSSION HOURS
  Ten quizzes valued at 1% each or 10% of final grade
  Due: each week during the Discussion Hour  
  Length One page, 10 minutes.  Words equivalent = 200.
  Topics: the previous week's lecture as scheduled in the Syllabus.
• OUTLINE
  Value: 20% of Final Grade
  Due: 2 PM Thursday 29 August .   Note 2 pm deadline. Submit to Arts Assignments Centre . 
  Length: two page.  Words equivalent = 800.
  Topic: Drawn from Discussion Questions in the Syllabus.
• ESSAY
  Value: 35% of Final Grade
  Due: 2 PM Thursday 10 October .  Note 2 pm deadline.  Submit to Arts Assignments Centre with Turnitin receipt.
  Length: 2000 words
  Topic: Drawn from Week 7-12 lecture topics.
• FINAL EXAMINATION
  Value: 35% of Final Grade
  Date: (Date, time and location TBA)
  Duration: Two hours.  Words equivalent = 2000.
  Format: Students will be required to answer three short essay type questions from a list of about ten questions. Details to follow.​

CONSULTATION

Students are advised to consult the following people (in this order) at the earliest possible opportunity if, for any reason, they experience problems in completing an assignment or have an issue with this conduct of the course or any participants in it, or are concerned about any matter related to courses, teachers, tutors, or administration of Politics and International Relations:
- Your Discussion Leaders:  Associate Professor Stephen Hoadley and Mr James Halpin
- The Lecturer: Associate Professor Stephen Hoadley.
- The Undergraduate Advisor: Dr Maria Armoudian

- The Head of the School of Social Sciences, Professor Simon Holdaway

SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Provisional topic [and sub-topic] sequence week by week

1. The state system and the neo-classical realist paradigm.

2. US foreign policy evolution, interests and institutions 

3. UK foreign policy evolution, interests and institutions

4. European foreign policy evolution, interests and institutions

5. Russian foreign policy evolution, interests and institutions

6. China's foreign policy evolution, interests and institutions

7. Trade and economic policies 

8. Russia's assertiveness and nuclear arms risks

9. Terrorism and counter-terrorism cooperation

10. The rise of China and great power responses in 2019  

11. Conflict, energy and great power interventions in the Middle East and South Asia.  

12. Middle and small power influences and dilemmas faced by the major powers.  Global trends and future scenarios

 

Week One (Tuesday 23 July at  2:05 PM and 3:05 PM)
Introduction to the Course.  The state system, the great powers, the neo-classical realist paradigm, and the Post-World War II international institutions, laws, rules, and norms.  How to analyse and compare foreign policies.
Suggested reading: Nick Bisley, Great Powers in the Changing International Order (2012) p. 7- 11 and 87-92 (copied in Files L1).  Note diagrams in Mingst pp137-143 and Goldstein Ch 4 in Files W1.

Discussion questions: 1) What is the fundamental nature of the international system?  2) What defines a 'great power'?  3) What is Neo-Classical Realism and why is it more useful than neo-realism (structural realism) or liberal internationalism?  4) Along what lines can foreign policies can be analysed and compared?  5) Given the conceptual and measurement difficulties, what is the benefit of comparing foreign policies? 6) Why bother with a conceptual framework?  Why not just analyse a foreign policy pragmatically and empirically?

Week Two (Tuesday 30 July at 2:05 PM and 3:05 PM.  
1st hour: US foreign policy institutions and politics
Suggested reading:  Read Files, especially L2 and L3 entries.  
Discussion questions: 1) What resources does a US president command when making and executing of US foreign policy? For example, does President Trump have the power and resources to make quick and decisive changes? 2) Why and how has the US Congress become a more active player in foreign affairs? Does this produce better or worse outcomes according to Cameron (see Cameron’s 2005 US Foreign Policy book Ch 4)?  3) What are the differences of foreign policy inclination between the Republican and Democratic parties, and between factions within the parties, and what is their significance for policy outcomes?  4) Has the proliferation of interest groups, think tanks, media, and blogs improved US foreign policy?  5) Why, exactly, is the Trump Administration's foreign policy decision-making style widely criticised, and why have some commentators praised it? 

 2nd hour:  US history, evolution of super-power status, post WWII US security strategy.  USSR, Containment, Nuclear Deterrence, NATO, UN, Middle East, Russia
Suggested reading:    For the latest US National Security Strategy document see https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/NSS-Final-12-18-2017-0905.pdf but also find critical commentaries via Google. 

Discussion questions: 1) Why did the US become internationalist and multilateralist after WWII?  2) Why is the US unlikely to retreat to neo-isolationism despite setbacks in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Global Financial Crisis, and the views of President Trump?  3) What were the key policies and instruments of US security policy after WWII, particularly in light of the threat perceived from the USSR and now Russia, and how did they sometimes clash with those of Europe, especially France?  4) What was NATO’s trans-Atlantic security role after WWII and why is NATO still relevant to the US and Europe (despite their differences) after the collapse of the USSR?  5) Why have US security policies occasionally clashed with the United Nations, in contrast to Europe’s security policies, even before the advent of the Trump presidency?  6) How would President Trump like to change US security policy and why might he be unsuccessful?  7) Conduct a critical analysis of the US National Security Strategy (see W2)  from the point of view of US national interests then from the point of view of one other great power. 

 

Week Three (6 August)  

Foreign policy institutions and politics of Great Britain.  

Suggested reading:   Access Files L4.    On British foreign policy see Reuben Yik-Pern Wong, National and European Foreign Policies  (Library shelves), Ch 5.  See Library ebook British foreign policy under New Labour, 1997-2005 by Paul D. Williams  2005 and numerous print books and articles.

Online access the UK's FCO at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-office especially 'Policies'
Discussion questions on Great Britain: 1) What are the main institutions and personalities that decide on, influence, and manage foreign policy making in Britain?  2) How do the main institutions and personalities that decide on, influence, and manage foreign policy making in Britain differ from those of the United States?   3) What historical goals and experiences give British foreign policy interests and policies their unique character?  4) Why has Britain been sceptical about a strong EU, how has this been manifested in the Brexit decision and process?  5) Why does Britain claim to have a ‘special relationship’ with the United States, what does this actually mean in practice, and what are its limits?  6) What were Prime Minister May's main foreign policy aims and which were achieve? OR answer for the current PM.

Week Four (13 August)

European Union (EU) foreign policy-making institutions from Rome to Maastricht to Amsterdam to Lisbon. Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) since the Lisbon Treaty (formerly ESDP). Rapid Reaction Force (RRF). Battle Groups.
Suggested reading:   Read Files W 4 entries.  See also Library ebook by Karen E. Smith, European Union Foreign Policy in a Changing World  ©2008. 2nd ed.   For official EU policy seehttps://europa.eu/european-union/index_en
See lineup and photos of current European Commissioners at https://ec.europa.eu/commission/commissioners/2014-2019_en
Discussion questions: 1) What are the main institutions and personalities that decide on, influence, and manage foreign policy making in the European Union?  2) How do the main institutions and personalities that decide on, influence, and manage foreign policy making in the European Union differ from those of the United States?  3) What is the Lisbon Treaty (2009) and how has it affected EU foreign policy institutions and processes? (See http://www.lisbon-treaty.org/wcm/the-lisbon-treaty.html) 4) Despite its potential, what institutional factors limit the EU from being a coherent and effective foreign and security policy actor (or great power) at present? 5) What motives drove the European governments to develop common EU foreign and security policies?  (Hint: either see Cameron Ch 3 and 4 OR reflect on weak EU responses to the Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Georgia, Syria, Arab Spring or Ukraine crises, or the war on terrorism, or refugee upsurges.)

 European security policy.   Russia, Balkans, Middle East.  Differences with US over Bosnia, Kosovo, Israel, Palestinian Authority, Gaza, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria. Tensions with Russia.
Suggested reading:  Read Files W4 entries.  Useful for essay-writers is Helene Sjursen's book The EU's CFSP.  Also see  https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R41959.pdf (Links to an external site.)  On the EU's Global Strategy announced in 2016 see https://europa.eu/globalstrategy/en/global-strategy-foreign-and-security-policy-european-union  and  https://www.sipri.org/commentary/blog/2017/eu-common-defence-deeper-integration-horizon
Discussion questions: 1) Summarise EU policy and contrast it with the policy of another great power in EITHER a) the Balkans OR b) the Middle East OR c) North Africa OR d) Eastern Europe.   2) Compare and contrast European and US  security concerns regarding Putin’s Russia OR Xi's China.  3) In brief, how does the EU's 2016 European Global Security Strategy differ from the US President's 2017 National Security Strategy?

 

Week Five  (20 August)  
Russia's evolution, interests, and institutions.  Putin and rearmament; intervention in Georgia; Ukraine; Syria; cyberwar; election meddling; espionage; economic sanctions and great power responses.

Suggested reading:  Access W5 readings in Files.  Access Library ebook  Not by bread alone : Russian foreign policy under Putin by Robert Nalbandov   ©2016  Read 'Going Legit? The Foreign Policy of Vladimir Putin' at https://www.lowyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/Bobo%20Lo_The%20foreign%20policy%20of%20Vladimir%20Putin_Web.pdf  See a thoughtful analysis at https://www.rand.org/pubs/perspectives/PE144.html  Search Google for Russian Foreign Policy, Putin's Foreign Policy, or Russian Foreign Policy Concept 2013. Link

Discussion questions: 1) How do geography, history, and culture influence Russia's foreign policy outlook?  2) What are the institutions and political groupings that bear on Russian foreign policy decision-making?  3)  How do President Putin's foreign policy assumptions differ from those of the EU OR the US OR the UK OR China?   4) Is President Putin paranoid with regard to Russia's security?   5) Choose and critically analyse three passages from The Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Republic (2013)  https://www.rusemb.org.uk/in1/ 

 

Week Six  (27 August)   

China's evolution, interests, and institutions.   China's foreign policies.  The world as seen from Beijing. 

Suggested reading: access W6 readings in Files.  Access Library ebook by Alice V Monroe, China's foreign policy and soft power influence (2010).   Also useful is https://www.brookings.edu/product/revolution-or-evolution-xi-jinping-and-the-future-of-chinas-foreign-policy/

OUTLINE OR ESSAY DUE by 2 PM Thursday 29 August at Arts Assignments Centre.

Mid-semester break.  No Lectures or Discussion Hours 3, 4, 10 or 11 September.  Lectures resume 17 September.

Week Seven  (17 September )
US and EU trade policies. World Trade Organisation (WTO). Free trade agreements. Trump Administration trade policies and China's and other partners' responses [tariffs; sanctions; 301; subsidies; non-cooperation with WTO or CPTTP; China push-back; Europe's push-back]

Suggested reading:   Read Files W7 entries.  Access and browse https://www.state.gov/ especially 'Policy Issues' and 'Countries and Regions'.  For trade policies access www.ustr.gov    

Discussion questions: 1) What domestic institutions and politics shape US trade policies, and how?  2) How can the US still be described as a free trade leader in the face of protectionist measures, particularly tariffs, proposed by President Trump?  3) Why did President Trump criticise EITHER the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement OR the North American Free Trade Agreement?  4) Why does the US negotiate bilateral free trade agreements and how does it choose its partners? 5)) What are the types, aims, advantages, disadvantages, and political drivers of US economic sanctions, e.g. of North Korea, Iran, Syria, or Russia?

EU trade policies, WTO. ACP EPA
Suggested readings:  W7 entries in Files.  For those writing an essay on EU trade policy see J. A. Koops (in Library shelves), Chapter 9, and Daniel C. Thomas, Chapter 8.  For EU foreign and trade policies access https://europa.eu/european-union/index_en 

Discussion questions: 1) What institutions make European trade policies and what conflicting forces influence them?  2) Why is the EU accused of protectionism and what is Brussels’ defence?   3) How does the EU use trade agreements to pursue political aims and why is this controversial? (Hint: one such political aim is democracy promotion) 4) Choose two or more transAtlantic trade disputes and describe why they arose and how they were resolved, or at least managed. 5) What are the prospects for a TTIP (TransAtlantic Trade and Investment Partnership)?   6) How will President Trump, on the one hand, and Brexit on the other, alter trans-Atlantic trade negotiations, and how will interested states manage the changes?

Week Eight  (24 September )

The Russia Challenge.   Nuclear and conventional arms races and arms control policies since WWII.  New nuclear armed states India, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel, and soon Iran and great power governments' role.  Hybrid Warfare.  The Energy Weapon.

Suggested reading:   W8 entries in Files.

Discussion questions: 1)  Why did the Soviet Union enter into nuclear arms control agreements and why has Russia either violated or abandoned them?  2)  What is Russia's response to the efforts by India, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel, or in prospect Iran (choose one or more) to acquire a deliverable nuclear weapons capability?  3) What is 'hybrid warfare' and why has President Putin adopted it?   4) How has President Putin responded to Western sanctions of Russia's hybrid warfare or nuclear weapons policies or conventional military policies (choose one or more).  5) Compare the nuclear deterrence, first use, and arms control policies of two or more of the great powers. 6) Did Russia cheat on the ABM, INF Treaty and START agreements and is the US justified in abandoning them in response?  7)  Compare the great powers' responses to Iran's nuclear weapons programme and compliance or otherwise with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.  8) How is one or more of the great powers using energy resources (e.g. oil or gas...)  to advance its geopolitical interests?

 

Week Nine (1 October) 

US and Europe’s contrasting security and War on Terrorism paradigms.   CT  cooperation [intra-Europe CT cooperation; Europe-US CT cooperation and divergence; CT versus international human rights treaties; CT abroad via military intervention; CT abroad via trade and aid; the ISIS threat; adaptation to Brexit]
Suggested reading:   Read Files W9 entries. 

On China's CT see https://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/oso/9780190922610.001.0001/oso-9780190922610

On Russia's CT see 
Discussion questions: 1) Summarise how European approaches to security contrast to those of the US and explain why.  2) Do Europe and America differ fundamentally on the aims of the War on Terrorism, or only on methods and execution? Discuss.  3) How do US counter-terrorism (CT) policies sometimes clash with European CT policies? Discuss with examples of Great Power foreign policy relevance.  4) How do Russia's and China's responses to terrorism differ fundamentally from Western responses?  5) What dilemmas do the CT policies of the Great Powers pose to human rights and civil liberties?  Answer with one or more case studies.  6) Answer any of the above questions by comparing and contrasting the policies of any two of the Great Powers.

 

Week Ten (8 October )  
China, the US and Europe in Asia.  China and East Asia.  Disputes in the South China Sea, East China Sea, and Taiwan.  Pacific Islands; One Road One Belt initiative; Sri Lanka; Pakistan; Made in China 2025; cyber-war; Trump tariffs; Huawei ban.

Suggestion reading:  Files W10 entries.:  

 Discussion questions: 1) What are the vital American security interests that will keep the US engaged in Asia for the foreseeable future? Mention comparable European interests in Asia in your answer.  2) Does the US regard China as a partner, rival, or potential enemy? Choose one and make a case for it, also making a comparison to how Europe views China.  3) Why do Europe’s foreign policy-makers find China of growing attractiveness but also problematic because of China’s harsh human rights policies and controversial US policies towards China?  4) How do America and Europe respond to China's assertiveness in the East China Sea and South China Sea?

ESSAY OR OUTLINE DUE by 2 pm on Thursday 10 October 

Week Eleven (15 October ) 

Wars in the Middle East and South Asia.  Geopolitical maneuvering.  Energy access

Great power involvement in conflicts in Syria, Yemen, Israel/Palestine and Africa.  Russian Security and Energy Policies.  American and European energy policies and relations with Russia, Central Asia and the Middle East.  India's rise to major power status and geopolitical tensions with Pakistan and China.  US new 'Indo-Pacific' orientation.

Suggested readings:  See W11 entries in Files.

Discussion questions: 1) Compare European and American sources of energy and discuss how they may induce divergent foreign policies.  2) What policy options do Europe and America have to cope with possible scarcity of petrochemical energy sources?  3) How does global energy competition affect US and European political and security relations with Russia or other energy exporting countries?  4) Who are political and security winners, and losers, from falling oil prices?   5) Assess the risks of war between India and Pakistan (OR any other antagonists in South Asia, Middle East, or Africa) and possible great power (choose one) responses. 

Week Twelve  (22 October)
 The influence on world affairs, and on the great powers, of middle powers, e.g. Iran, OR Japan, OR Brazil, OR Nigeria, OR France, OR Germany, OR Australia, OR another middle power.  Global trends and scenarios.  Summing up of course themes.  Briefing on the final exam format and study advice.

Suggested readings:  See Canvas Files W12 entries.  

Discussion questions:  1) What are the geo-political and geo-economic assets that will increase the influence on world affairs of a EITHER a great power government OR a middle power government of your choice in the coming 20 years?  2) What are the liabilities that might see both the US and Europe OR 'the West', lose world influence in the coming 20 years?  3) Why is it not inevitable that China will be the next global hegemon in the coming 20 years?

Discussion Hour meets as usual on 23 October (our last class).