Specialization: course opened to all study programs
Warrantor: doc. PhDr. Martin Bútora
Instructor: doc. PhDr. Martin Bútora
Lecturing hours (weekly): 2
Credits: 3 ECTS
Date: Wednesday 5.00 - 6.30 PM (tbc)
Room: A5.16 (new building)
Working language: English
Evaluation: passed/not passed
Aim of the course: The aim of the course is to achieve better understanding of American foreign policy through the conflicts, dilemmas and challenges that have been lying ahead for presidents of the United States in different periods of history. Concrete examples of competing visions will show how different principles have been pursued in US foreign policy: clashes between national interests and moral values, between idealism and realism, between isolationism and multilateralism. The course will follow the rise of the United States to the position of global power as well conflicting expectations related to that status, namely requirements for intervention on the one hand and criticism for the involvement on the other hand. Whereas in US political system, in particular in the area of foreign policy, the presidents play crucial role, a special attention will be also devoted to personal profiles of selected individuals and to typical characteristics of the given epoch. Lectures will be combined with participation of students in model solving of conflicting tendencies.
Reading Assignments:
1) Part A - Readings for test (.zip)
2) Part B - Readings for open questions
A) American Foreign Policy - missions, interests, principles/values
B) Henry Kissinger - Diplomacy
C) Scanned readings materials to download
Preliminary timetable of the course:
1) Introduction. Traditions of American foreign policy, competing values and principles. Continuity and change in US foreign policy.
2) „The Founding Fathers“, the first presidents and their legacies. George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison: conflicts with European powers, attempts for a “different” foreign policy
3) James Monroe and his doctrine, Theodore Roosevelt and building of an empire
4) Woodrow Wilson, an idealistic reformer: freedom, democracy, self-determination of nations, League of Nations, the role of the United States at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919
5) Franklin D. Roosevelt, conflict between neutrality and involvement, America as the „arsenal of democracy“, US in the World War II, controversial heritage of Yalta
6) Harry Truman and his doctrine, Marshall plan, containment of Soviet expansion, creation of NATO, Cold War
7) John F. Kennedy, his charisma and inexperience, Cuban Missile Crisis; Lyndon Johnson, the war in Vietnam and its impact
8) Richard Nixon, return of realism, détente with the Soviet Union “discovery” of China, the role of Henry Kissinger
9) Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan or human rights and moral values in American foreign policy, the phenomenon of Zbigniew Brzezinski
10) Dilemmas of George Bush Senior: the search for „The New World Order” after the end of Cold War; a successful coalition against the invasion of Iraq to Kuwait
11) Bill Clinton, his foreign policy victories and problems, the establishment of NAFTA, NATO enlargement
12) George W. Bush, September 11, war against terror, “Axis of Evil”, criticism of the US; Barack Obama and search for the new face of American foreign policy, a return to multilateralism
13) Debrief and evaluation session
