American Foreign Policy and Political Ambition James Lee Ray,
Publisher: CQ Press
ISBN: 1568028326
DDC: 327.73
Edition: Paperback; 2007-08-27
Summary:
A Fresh Approach. In his new core text, James L. Ray raises the bar
for the study of American foreign policy, bringing original insight,
crisper writing, and at last the most current theories to bear on the
subject. Though he draws upon the realist, liberal, and radical
perspectives, instead of relying on traditional axioms such as states
seek power, or states seek security, Ray starts from the premise that
the highest priority of leaders is to stay in power. Ray keenly
observes that how leaders respond to their most important domestic
constituents is the key to understanding why and how foreign policy
decisions are made. In chapters detailing the history of American
foreign policy, Ray shows how domestic pressures have shaped in
stunning ways foreign policymaking from the birth of the nation,
through expansion and annexation, and right up through the Bush
administration s Iraq War. Then, covering the policymaking process,
Ray analyzes how various parties inside and outside government
influence decisionmaking, with detailed discussions of the role of
the media, public opinion, interest groups, the various federal
agencies, Congress, and the executive. Ray shows how the ongoing
debates around domestic economic and social policies like social
security and Medicare have always played a part in the process.
Regional Organization. Rather than looking at successive issues, the
book s final takes a regional approach, allowing students to think
comprehensively about how different sets of issues human security,
democratization, intervention, globalization, pollution, interstate
wars intersect in specific ways in each of the various regions of the
globe. Covering the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Sub-Saharan
Africa, and Asia in turn, Ray deals with events and trends that other
books tend to miss. Great Writing, Great Pedagogy. Written in candid
and refreshingly jargon-free prose, the text nonetheless delivers the
most current scholarship and information. Richly illustrated with
maps, photos, tables, and figures students get a strong graphical
sense of the importance of the interplay of domestic and foreign
concerns. Pedagogical features like Lessons Learned boxes and lists
of key terms in every chapter reinforce the book s central approach.
Strong Teaching and Learning Support. A suite of ancillary materials
help students and instructors prepare for class and exams, including
a testbank and PowerPoint lecture slides.
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