Textbooks

Main Text: American Government - Lumen Learning

• Introduction

• Defining Foreign Policy

• Foreign Policy Instruments

• Institutional Relations in Foreign Policy

• Approaches to Foreign Policy

• Glossary

Alternative Text: American Politics and Government in the Information Age

• Chapter 17: Foreign and National Security Policies

Alternative Text: Boundless Political Science

• Foreign Policy
• Who Makes U.S. Foreign Policy?
• The History of American Foreign Policy
• Challenges of Foreign Policy
• Modern Foreign Policy

Web-Based Materials

• Council on Foreign Relations
• Trade Deficit - Census.gov
• Migration Policy Institute

Discussion Questions

1. Defining terrorism has similarities to defining obscenity: I know it when I see it. Discuss the various problems in defining terrorism and compose a working definition of terrorism.
2. Define the role of the United Nations today. Evaluate how effective the UN is in carrying out its role. Should the US remain a member of the UN? Why or why not?
3. With respect to foreign policy and its role overseas, should the US expand its role, restrict its role (become more isolationist), or keep its role about the same? Explain.
4. It’s been said that the US only intervenes when the US interests are at stake. Evaluate that statement. Is it true or not? Why do you say that? Provide examples.

Key Terms

1. Containment
2. Détente
3. Deterrence
4. Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD)
5. Weapons of mass destruction
6. Bipolar
7. Unilateralism
8. Multilateralism
9. Department of Homeland Security
10. Bush Doctrine
11. Preemptive War Doctrine
12. Conventional War
13. Guerilla War
14. Military industrial complex
15. Protectionism
16. World Trade Organization
17. Rally ‘round the flag effect