The Making of U.S. Foreign Policy in Today's World

5 credits · Undergraduate

This course will examine the process through which U.S. foreign policy is made and how decisions and outcomes are reached. Through this examination, students will gain a deeper understanding of the role of various executive branch agencies and how the "inter-agency" process works. The course will also examine the role of other important actors such as the Congress and non-government entities such as the media, think tanks, and NGOs. Though the primary focus will be on process and decision-making, through the presentation of topical case studies the course will also be a survey of current-day foreign policy challenges such as the war in Ukraine, great power competition with China, and the South and Central Asia post-Afghanistan War. This course is offered only to students attending the Stanford in Washington Program in Washington, D.C.