POL S 321 A: American Foreign Policy

This course examines the historical evolution of U.S. foreign policy, tracing America's transformation from a weak power to a great power, superpower, and hyperpower while analyzing the enduring tensions between isolationist, unilateralist, and globalist impulses. We will explore how American foreign policy has balanced idealism with pragmatic realism through various doctrines that have shaped its ideological, economic, and democratic engagement with the world. We'll assess contemporary challenges to American power as other nations like China and Russia rise, examining leverage-based diplomacy, the reassertion of national interests, and the complex relationship between international commitments and domestic priorities. The course concludes by evaluating whether the Pax Americana is ending and what strategies might sustain American influence in a rapidly evolving global landscape.