Ideological Roots of U.S. Foreign Policy

You will agree that, in the post 9-11-2001 world, it makes sense to take a fresh look at the United States foreign policy (USFP), to track where we were and where we are now in terms of our international relations. We will also address a possible reshaping of America into an ethically sound nation, “friendly” to itself in the long run.

Some of the readings and student assignments in this course may appear on the surface not closely connected with the theme of our course. But I’m going to leave it to the student to realize the connections and linkages, discover differences and similarities in the themes or topics of the books recommended for the Book Report, and build his or her own understanding of US foreign policy through the readings, class discussions, and the assignments. The ambiance of the classroom and the structure of the course will be relaxed and flexible, and hence should be conducive to student participation.