MVZ122 Foreign Policy of the United States

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2009
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Petr Suchý, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. et Mgr. Petr Vilímek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Petr Suchý, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Timetable
Tue 14:00–15:40 U42
Prerequisites
Passive knowledge of English.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 9 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The goal of the course is to make students familiar with the evolution of the American foreign policy in the 20th century. Special attention will be paid to the formulation of policies of the respective administrations (especially the implementation of the strategy of containment and its modifications). The course is also focused on both policy continuity and policy change and on causes and consequences of the application of various foreign policy doctrines.
After the completion of this course, students should be able to: identify key themes of US foreign policy in the 20th century; explain the evolution of the American foreign policy and the impact of the main foreign policy doctrines of the United States and analyze US policy toward major world regions and issues.
Syllabus
  • 1. Organization of the course
  • 2. Evolution of American foreign policy since independence to 1945
  • 3. US foreign policy under Truman
  • 4. Eisenhower administration
  • 5. US foreign policy under Kennedy
  • 6. US foreign policy under Johnson
  • 7. US foreign policy under Nixon and Ford
  • 8. Reading Week
  • 9. Carter administration
  • 10. US foreign policy under Reagan
  • 11. Bush administration and the end of the Cold War
  • 12. US foreign policy under Clinton
  • 13. The United States in the post-9/11 world
Literature
  • BROWN, Seymon. The faces of power : constancy and change in United states foreign policy from Truman to Clinton. 2nd ed. New York: Columbia University Press, 1994, xv, 658 s. ISBN 0-231-09668-2. info
  • GADDIS, John Lewis. Strategies of containment : a critical appraisal of postwar american national security policy. 1st pub. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1982, xi, 432. ISBN 0195030974. info
  • MCDOUGALL, Walter A. Promised land, crusader state :the american encounter with the world since 1776. Boston: Mariner book, 1997, xiii, 286. ISBN 0-395-90132-4. info
  • GADDIS, John Lewis. Strategies of containment : a critical appraisal of American national security policy during the Cold War. Rev. and expanded ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005, xvi, 484. ISBN 019517447X. info
  • SUCHÝ, Petr. Reagan a říše zla. Vývoj americké zahraniční politiky a vztahů mezi supervelmocemi v letech 1981 - 1989. (Reagan and the Evil Empire. The Evolution of U. S. Foreign Policy and Superpower Relations between 1981 - 1989.). 1st ed. Brno: CDK, 2004, 283 pp. Politologická řada, svazek 16. ISBN 80-7325-046-2. info
  • SUCHÝ, Petr. Zahraniční politika USA v devadesátých letech dvacátého století (U. S. Foreign Policy in 1990s'). 1st ed. Brno: MPÚ, 2001, 121 pp. Studie 20. ISBN 80-210-2644-8. info
  • LIEBER, Robert J. The American era : power and strategy for the 21st century. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005, x, 255. ISBN 0521857376. info
  • SUCHÝ, Petr. Strategie zadržování v americké zahraniční politice. Vznik a vývoj koncepce 1945-1953. (Strategy of Containment in the U. S. Foreign Policy. Inception and Evolution of the Concept 1945-1953.). 1st ed. Brno: Mezinárodní politologický ústav Masarykovy univerzity, 2005, 144 pp. Monografie; 13. ISBN 8021038039. info
Assessment methods
The course consists of lectures and seminars. It ends with a written exam. The requirements for the completion of the course are: 1. Make one class presentation on pre-agreed topic. 2. Successfully pass the written examination.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2004, Spring 2005, Spring 2006, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2009, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2009/MVZ122