Contemporary American Foreign Policy

Richard W. Mansbach (BA Swarthmore College, DPhil Oxford University) is a former Marshall Scholar and three-time Fulbright Scholar. He has authored, co-authored, or edited seventeen books and numerous articles and book chapters largely concerning theory in global politics and foreign policy. His scholarship has extended our understanding of global politics beyond the traditional notion of territorial states interacting in an anarchic system to encompass a wide variety of actors complexly related across a variety of issues. Increasingly, his work has moved from the dominant role of "states" in international relations theory to encompass a changing cast of actors in a globalizing world and toward the concept of "identity" and the role of psychological, as opposed to geographic, distance in determining loyalties and behavior. His scholarship focuses on the critical role of history and norms in understanding change and continuity in global politics and in the movement from pre-international to international and, ultimately, post-international politics in a globalizing world. Among his books several are routinely used in major graduate programs, notably, The Web of World Politics, In Search of Theory: Toward a New Paradigm for Global Politics, The Elusive Quest: Theory and International Politics, Polities: Authority, Identities, and Change, The Elusive Quest Continues: Theory and Global Politics, Remapping Global Politics, Globalization: The return of borders to a borderless world?. In addition, Professor Mansbach was the co-editor of the field's flagship journal International Studies. He has also served as department chair at Rutgers University (New Brunswick) and at Iowa State University. Kirsten Taylor (BA University of Pittsburgh, PhD McGill University) is Associate Professor and Department Chair of Government and International Studies at Berry College, a private liberal arts college in Northwest Georgia. Her scholarship focuses on the development and transformation of international institutions and norms, with particular emphases on security and environmental institutions, teaching with simulations. Her articles have appeared in International Studies Perspectives, Canadian Journal of Political Science and Comparative Strategy. Dr. Taylor also is co-author of a textbook, Introduction to Global Politics, with Richard Mansbach.

Introduction Competing Models of U.S. Foreign Policy Organization of the Book Pedagogical Tools Part I. Policy Orientations Chapter 1: Sources of American Foreign Policy The Linkage of Domestic and Foreign Policies Sources of Foreign-Policy Influence Conclusion Chapter 2: Competing Currents in U.S. Foreign Policy Competing Currents Past: Competing Currents in Historical Perspective Present: The Impact of 9/11 Conclusion: Engagement or Disengagement? Part II. Challenges in Key Issue Areas Chapter 3: American Military Strategy in an Era of Power Diffusion Sources of U.S. Military Strategy Past: Managing Superpower Rivalry Present: Grand Strategy in a Changing World Future: Adapting to a Changing Environment Conclusion: A Changing Strategic Environment Chapter 4: America and the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction Past: Proliferation in the First Nuclear Age Present: Proliferation in the Second Nuclear Age Nonproliferation and the Future Conclusion: A Dangerous World Chapter 5: An American Economic Conundrum: Neoliberalism or Neo-Mercantilism? Sources of U.S. Foreign Economic Policy Past: The Evolution of U.S. Foreign Economic Policy Present: Contemporary Economic Challenges Future: Foreign Economic Policy Conclusion: America and the Globalized Economy Chapter 6: Democracy and Human Rights: Legitimate Objectives of American Policy? Sources of U.S. Human-Rights Policies Past: Discerning Trends in U.S. Human Rights Policy Present: Recent Challenges to Democracy Promotion and Human Rights Future: Promoting Democracy and Human Rights Human Rights and National Security Conclusion: An Inconsistent Human Rights Record Chapter 7: The U.S. and the Global South: Practicing Intervention, Aid, and Neglect Sources of U.S. Aid and Intervention Past: U.S. Aid and Intervention Present: Challenges in the Global South Future: Balancing Aid, Intervention, and Neglect Conclusion Chapter 8: Energy and the Environment: The Limits of U.S. Leadership Sources of U.S. Environmental and Energy Policies Past: Changing Trends in U.S. Environmental Leadership Future: Environmental and Energy Alternatives Conclusion: Environment and Energy Issues Part III: Challenges in Key Regions and Countries Chapter 9: America and the Palestinian-Israeli Imbroglio Sources of U.S. Policy toward Israel Past: From Israel's Birth to the Six-Day War, 1948-1967 Present, 1967-2015 Future: Disputed Issues Conclusion: Is Peace Possible? Chapter 10: Arab Spring or Arab Winter? Sources of U.S. Policy toward the Arab World Past: Before the Arab Spring Present: Stirrings of Spring Future: An Arab Winter? Conclusion: Arab Spring or Arab Winter? Chapter 11: America and Radical Islam Sources of U.S. Policy toward Terrorism The Islamic Past Present: The War on Terror Future: Is the War on Terror Over? Conclusion: Have We Won? Chapter 12: The United States and China: Engagement or Containment? Sources of American Policy toward China Past: From Hostility to Engagement Present: Partners or Adversaries? Future: Balancing Cooperation and Conflict Conclusion: Containment or Engagement? Chapter 13: America, Europe, and NATO: A Changing Partnership Sources of U.S. Policy toward Europe Past: The New World and the Old Present: NATO's Changing Mission Future: NATO Reinvented Conclusion: NATO Redux Chapter 14: America and Russia: Values versus Power Past: A Bipolar World Present: From Cooperation to Conflict Future: Churchill's "Riddle Wrapped in a Mystery inside an Enigma" Conclusion: Did the "Reset" Succeed? Part IV: Conclusion Chapter 15: Conclusion: America, a Wary Hegemon The Evolution of American Foreign Policy before the Cold War After the Cold War Contemporary Foreign-Policy Challenges What Next?

"Mansbach and Taylor's practical, solution-oriented approach is novel and valuable. Its use of levels of analysis for causal factors and the way that it conscientiously includes important components of the global environment often neglected in other texts are just some of the factors that set it apart." -- Alynna Lyon "Manbach and Taylor enliven the subject matter and make it relevant to current situations. Each chapter provides an effective overview of the historical context and contemporary importance of a significant foreign policy issue, providing needed perspective that combines strong scholarship and engaging writing." -- James Seroka "Mansbach and Taylor provide a thoroughly up-to-date, useful pedagogical tool for studying and learning about U.S. foreign policy. Contemporary American Foreign Policy is particularly strong in its assessments of the opportunities and constraints relative to various foreign policy options presented to the American Foreign Policy Establishment. Its strongest assets lie in its incorporation of an issue areas-approach to foreign affairs and in its various case studies." -- Matt Caverly "Mansbach and Taylor present a timely, comprehensive, and engaging text, involving readers in the evaluation of each policy by showing positive and negative outcomes, as well as policy alternatives and approaches for analysis. Contemporary American Foreign Policy will be attractive to both upper division and lower division undergraduates alike." -- Martha Cottam