What Is Foreign Policy and How Is It Different from International Relations?

TL;DR

Foreign policy refers to a government's strategy and decisions regarding its interactions with other states, while international relations primarily studies the interactions themselves between states. The key difference lies in their focus: foreign policy investigates decision-making processes, while international relations examines broader systemic dynamics.

Transcript

Hey everyone. Noah Zerbe here. This is one of  a series of short videos examining questions   in foreign policy. In this video, we're going  to distinguish between international relations   and foreign policy as fields of study. One of the  central dilemmas in a course on foreign policy is   differentiating it from international relations.  This di... Read More

Key Insights

• 🌍 Political science has four main subfields: American politics, comparative politics, international relations, and political theory.
• 🌍 International relations draws from multiple disciplines and focuses on relations between states.
• 💄 Foreign policy analyzes decision-making processes and strategies employed by states in their interactions with others.
• 🖐️ Domestic and international factors both play a role in foreign policy.
• 💄 Foreign policy seeks to uncover the inputs and outputs of the decision-making process.
• 🌐 International relations examines events on a global scale and their impact on systemic questions.
• 🧑‍🏭 Foreign policy aims to understand the goals, motivations, and decisions of states and actors.

Questions & Answers

Q: How is political science structured as a field of study?

Political science is divided into four main subfields: American politics, comparative politics, international relations, and political theory. Each subfield focuses on different aspects of politics.

Q: What distinguishes international relations from foreign policy?

International relations is concerned with the relations between states and draws from various disciplines. On the other hand, foreign policy examines the decision-making processes and strategies employed by states in their interactions with others.

Q: How does foreign policy operate at the intersection of international relations and domestic politics?

Foreign policy takes into account both domestic and international factors. It considers individual decision-makers' characteristics, power dynamics within organizations, and how the international context influences state options.

Q: What is the main focus of political theory?

Political theory primarily deals with normative questions, such as ethics and moral values. It explores concepts like freedom, civil rights, and the role of citizens and states.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The field of political science is structured around four subfields: American politics, comparative politics, international relations, and political theory.

• International relations is interdisciplinary and primarily concerned with relations between states, while foreign policy focuses on the processes and decisions that determine state behavior.

• Foreign policy operates at the intersection of international relations and American or comparative politics, seeking to uncover the decision-making process and factors influencing state decisions.