Foreign Policy

Zunanja politika

Course credits:

6.00 ECTS / 60 (30 hours of lectures, 0 hours of exercises, 30 hours of seminars, 0 hours other forms of work)

Course holder:

prof. dr. Ana Bojinović Fenko

Type:

Celoletni

Language:

English

Semester:

Second semester

Study degree

1. level

Course execution:

• Undergraduate Programme of International Relations

Prerequisits:

Students are allowed to participate in the course provided that they have completed the enrolment procedure.

Objectives and competences

The objectives of the course are: - to present to students the main ontological differences between the phenomena of foreign policy and international relations; - to present to students the fundamental theoretical differences between the study of foreign policy (Foreign Policy Analysis approach) and the study of international relations (IR theory); - to give students the basic conceptual tools for understanding the environment, decision-making process and strategic documents of states’ foreign policy; - to qualify students for independent analysis of a chosen state’s foreign policy with the purpose of foreign policy understanding, explanation and policy-prescription, pertinent for this chosen state; - to enable students for knowledge transfer (analytical work, foreign language skills and policy prescription) into various working environments. Competences, acquired by students: - ability to prepare short analytical written assignments; - gathering, analysing and evaluating the data, relevant for understanding, explanation and policy-prescription of a state’s foreign policy; - ability of oral and written expression; - ability of individual and group analytical work, discussion and negotiation.

Content (Syllabus outline)

The course initially deals with theoretical frameworks of the study of foreign policy by International Relations theory and its sub-discipline Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA) approach. Afterwards, two thirds of the course focus on the empirical analysis via application of theory to selected case or comparative country studies in the following aspects: • foreign policy environment (internal-external vs. domestic-foreign), and the opportunities and constraints the two represent, especially for small states in the international community; • foreign policy process (the formulation, decision-making and implementation of foreign policy); • foreign policy content (values and goals) and foreign policy strategy of states (use of instruments via hard or soft power). All three cases for analysis are selected by students and presented at exercises/seminars though simulations of foreign policy decision-making and implementation. They produce 3 pieces of analytical work of chosen states (short written assignments) and via comparative analysis widen their empirical knowledge of other states’ foreign policies.

Intended learning outcomes:

Student: - identifies and differentiates between the phenomenon of foreign policy and international relations; - differentiates between the applicability of Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA) and IR theory for analysis of state’s foreign policy - defines the basic concepts within FPA and is capable of applying them for an analysis of a chosen state’s foreign policy environment, decision-making process and strategic documents’ analysis; - synthesizes findings of a comparative analysis of foreign policy and evaluates opportunities and constraints that the state can seize or overcome on the basis of its capabilities; - differentiates between soft and hard power capabilities and instruments-based strategic behaviour of states; - is especially qualified to identify opportunities and constraints for foreign policy action of small states as the Republic of Slovenia.

Learning and teaching methods:

Lectures, seminar, tutorials, individual and group work with teacher.

Assessment

Final mark consists of: - written exam: 60 % - 3 SWAs (short written assignments): 30 % - active oral participation and engagement at the seminar: 10 %

Obligatory literature

Additional literature