Course Information
SemesterCourse Unit CodeCourse Unit TitleT+P+LCreditNumber of ECTS CreditsLast Updated Date
0PSIR488Foreign Policy Analysis3+0+03621.04.2026

 
Course Details
Language of Instruction English
Level of Course Unit Bachelor's Degree
Department / Program Political Science and İnternational Relations (English)
Type of Program Formal Education
Type of Course Unit Elective
Course Delivery Method Face To Face
Objectives of the Course This course has three main objectives: (a) to summarize major alternative approaches to foreign policy analysis; (b) to explore some of the central concepts, issues and problems arising in foreign policy-making process, and (c) to illustrate how foreign policy actors utilize the concepts identified to tackle real-life foreign policy challenges.
Course Content After a general overview of the alternative perspectives on foreign policy, the course focuses on the sub-discipline of foreign policy analysis, covering its origins, psychological dimensions, institutional background, and domestic environment. It then turns to states as major foreign policy actors –including major, middle, small and emerging powers. The course follows with an analysis of transnational actors and the external environment. It then tackles the more specific questions of how identity politics and post-colonialism impact foreign policy analysis. The course finally dwells on change in foreign policy.
Course Methods and Techniques 1. Lecture, 2. Discussion, and 4. Case Study
Prerequisites and co-requisities None
Course Coordinator None
Name of Lecturers Prof.Dr. Ali Tekin ali.tekin@gedik.edu.tr
Assistants None
Work Placement(s) No

Recommended or Required Reading
Resources Alden, C. and A. Aran (2012). Foreign Policy Analysis: New Approaches. Routledge.
Smith, S., A. Hedfield and T. Dunne, eds. (2016). Foreign Policy: Theories, Actors, Cases. Oxford: OUP.
Course Notes .

Course Category
Social Sciences %100

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods
Activities are given in detail in the section of "Assessment Methods and Criteria" and "Workload Calculation"

Assessment Methods and Criteria
In-Term Studies Quantity Percentage
Mid-terms 1 % 40
Assignment 1 % 20
Attendance 14 % 0
Final examination 1 % 40
Total
17
% 100

 
ECTS Allocated Based on Student Workload
Activities Quantity Duration Total Work Load
Course Duration 14 3 42
Hours for off-the-c.r.stud 14 5 70
Assignments 1 10 10
Mid-terms 1 10 10
Final examination 1 20 20
Total Work Load   Number of ECTS Credits 6 152

 
Course Learning Outcomes: Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
NoLearning Outcomes
1 Understand the main alternative perspectives on foreign policy
2 Understand the complex nature and issues of foreign policy analysis
3 Understand the key concepts needed to undertake foreign policy analysis
4 Know the key state actors and contexts to analyze foreign policy decisions
5 Know how to design a solution for a foreign policy problem

 
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
WeekTopicsStudy MaterialsMaterials
1 Introduction . .
2 Foreign policy analysis - origins Alden and Amnon, Chapter 1 Hudson, Valeria M. (2016). “The history and evolution of foreign policy analysis,” in Foreign Policy: Theories, Actors, Cases, eds. Smith, Steve, Amelia Hadfield, Timothy Dunne, Oxford University Press
3 Perspectives on foreign policy decision-making Alden and Amnon, Chapter 2
4 External environment of foreign policy Alden and Amnon, Chapter 6
5 Domestic politics and foreign policy Alden and Amnon, Chapter 4 Carlsnaes, W alter  (2016). “Actors, structures, and foreign policy analysis,” in Foreign Policy: Theories, Actors, Cases
6 Institutional politics and foreign policy Alden and Amnon, Chapter 3
7 Transnational actors Barnett, Michael (2016). “Duties beyond borders,” in Foreign Policy: Theories, Actors, Cases
8 Mid-term exam
9 States as foreign policy actors Alden and Amnon, Chapter 5
10 Identity politics, civilizational states, post-colonialism and foreign policy Flockhart, Trine (2016). “Constructivism and foreign policy,” and Hansen, Lene (2016) “Discourse analysis, post-structuralism, and foreign policy,” both in in Foreign Policy: Theories, Actors, Cases
11 Change in foreign policy and policy-making Alden and Amnon, Chapter 7
12 Leadership and foreign policy-making Suresh, Priya (2022). “Chapter 2: Role of Political Leadership in Foreign Policymaking: Analytical Framework,” in Foreign Policy of China Under Deng Xiaoping. Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 9-53
13 How to propose a foreign policy recommendation Lecture notes to be provided
14 Conclusions Alden and Amnon, Chapter 8

 
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10
C1 5 2 3
C2 4 4 3
C3 4 3 3
C4 3 3 4 3
C5 3 3 5 4 3

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