Making American Foreign Policy

Ole Holsti, one of the deans of US foreign policy analysis, examines the complex factors involved in the policy decision-making process including the beliefs and cognitive processes of foreign policy leaders and the influence public opinion has on foreign policy. The essays, in addition to being both theoretically and empirically rich, are historical in breadth--with essays on Vietnam--as well as contemporary in relevance--with essays on public opinion and foreign policy after 9/11.

Ole Holsti is the George V. Allen Emeritus Professor of Political Science at Duke University. He is the author most recently of Public Opinion and American ForeignPolicy (1996) and is a co-editor of The Encyclopedia ofU.S. Foreign Relations(OUP). He is a past president of the International Studies Association (1979-80).

1. Introduction: Beliefs, Perceptions, and Opinions in Policy Making PART I Foreign Policy Leaders: Beliefs and Cognitive Processes 2. The Belief System and National Images: A Case Study 3. Cognitive Process Approaches to Decision-Making: Foreign Policy Actors Viewed Psychologically PART II Opinion Leaders, Public Opinion, and American Foreign Policy 4. Public Opinion and Foreign Policy: Challenges to the Almond-Lippmann Consensus 5. The Three-Headed Eagle: The United States and System Change 6. Vietnam, Consensus and the Belief Systems of American Leaders 7. Liberals, Populists, Libertarians and Conservatives: The Link Between Domestic and International Affairs 8. Promotion of Democracy as a Popular Demand? 9. A Widening Gap Between the U.S. Military and Civilian Society? Some Evidence, 1976-96 10. Public Opinion and Foreign Policy 11. A Return to Isolationism and Unilateralism? American Public Opinion, Pre- and Post-September 11 PART III Conclusion: Theories of International Relations and Foreign Policy Analysis 12. Theories of International Relations 13. Concluding Thoughts on American Foreign Policy Index