The course is conducted in English。

This course introduces students to theories of foreign policy that explain U.S. behavior, ranging from military conflict to secret diplomacy. The course is organized into three sections. The first part gives an overview of American grand strategy and values. The second section follows an actor-specific approach, focusing on how crucial actors such as the President and Congress shape American foreign policy. Lastly, the issue-oriented section will be concluded with a wargaming exercise. Following the lectures on these topics, the instructor will design group exercises and offer materials for course discussion, including detailed case studies of important episodes in U.S. diplomatic and military history. From 2025, this course will be one of the core courses for students taking “Risk Analysis of Geopolitics and Economics” as their Specialization Program Compass (領域專長). For students majoring in political science, it is classified as a department elective course. Room 306 has a maximum capacity of 40 students. Update: due to the course-adding problem in the first phase of course registration, we will give a higher preference and more quota to political science seniors, juniors, and sophomores. For those eligible students, please come to class on February 18. We will email permission codes to some of them after verifying their eligibility. 學校通知選課問題將於第二階段修復，請有意選修本課程的同學，於第二階段開始時加選。

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to 1. Apply various theories for explaining American foreign policy; 2. Address and provide solutions to contemporary U.S. foreign policy challenges; 3. Think critically when reading official documents and think tank reports; 4. Learn how to write policy briefs based on the bottom line up front (BLUF) approach; 5. Be familiar with the state of the job markets in think tanks in the United States.

Except the wargaming weeks, each class meeting comprises a lecture and a group exercise. Although the instructor lectures on key points in American foreign policy, students are expected to 1. Complete all readings before attending class; 2. Actively participate in and contribute to class discussion; 3. Develop a team spirit for brainstorming and problem-solving during group exercises. Please note that lectures will not be recorded.

1. Glenn P. Hastedt, American Foreign Policy: Past, Present, and Future (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2020). 2. James M. McCormick, American Foreign Policy and Process (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2023). 3. The instructor's powerpoint slides.