IFCO 5005 - The United States in the World. A History of U.S. Foreign Policy and National Security

This course explores the history of U.S. foreign and national security policy from the founding of the Republic to the present day. It examines various phases of U.S. expansionism, from establishing a continental empire in North America to the global outreach that followed the 1898 war with Spain and the two World Wars of the 20th century. Special emphasis is placed on the core pillars of U.S. power—economic strength, military superiority, and cultural appeal—and their roles in shaping America's global ascendancy in the 20th and 21st centuries. The second part of the course focuses on the post-World War II era, when the United States assumed unprecedented global responsibilities, the strategies it adopted, and the domestic and international narratives used to explain and justify its new hegemonic role. Again, attention will center on the key determinants of U.S. power and influence—"dollars, arms, and words," to borrow an effective slogan—and how their application was reimagined after the 1970s in efforts to establish a new, albeit complex, form of hegemony.

Mario DEL PERO,Ferdinando MAIERON

Cours magistral seul

English

Students are asked to come to class prepared, having read the secondary sources and documents assigned for each session.

This is an introductory course.

Spring 2024-2025

There will be one mid-term and one final on-site exam, each lasting two hours and covering topics discussed in weeks 1-6 (mid-term) and 7-12 (final). Students will be required to address a general question using the assigned readings and lecture material. Each exam will account for 50% of the final grade.

This a lecture only class. The instructor will use power point slides in his presentation. The power point presentation will be uploaded on Moodle after the class.