DAFF 25A32 - US Foreign policy in a fragmented world: Historical, Ideological and Geopolitical perspectives

The aim of this course is to analyze US foreign policy, primarily through the prism of American military power. The objective is to provide an overview of the major issues at stake regarding US international action, in a fragmented world. Is there a continuity in the US involvement in the world? Are there ruptures? How could we explain US foreign policy from an ideological point of view? What are the main geopolitical challenges to the American administration today? The course will be divided into three main parts, each of which addresses specific questions. The first will focus on the continuities and ruptures of US foreign policy, from the end of the Second World War to the post-9/11 period. The second part will examine US international strategy in its ideological dimension, through the major debates that surround it. Finally, the last part will look at the practice of American foreign policy and its major geopolitical challenges, with a special focus on Russia, the Middle East and China.
Pierre BOURGOIS
English
Autumn and Spring 2024-2025
- 1 final written exam with a topic discussed during the course (two hours on session 12) (60%) - 1 group presentation with a topic chosen by the instructor (presented during the first session) (30%) - Student engagement during the semester (participation in class discussions during and outside of class, ability to ask questions, and class citizenship etc.) (10%)
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Haass Richard N., The Irony of American Strategy: Putting the Middle East in Proper Perspective, Foreign Affairs, May/ June 2013.
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Wright Thomas, The Folly of Retrenchment: Why America Can't Withdraw From the World, Foreign Affairs, vol. 99, n° 2, March/April 2020, p. 10-18.