Foreign Policy Analysis

The section seeks to examine the key concepts applicable for analyzing foreign policy mechanisms of key international actors. Focusing on the correlation and combination of different factors shaping policy choices, the panels provide grounds for comprehending the roles and effects that foreign policies of individual countries have on international politics in general. We are looking for papers that explain how foreign policy leaders, diplomats and decision makers act in situations of uncertainty, international crises and security challenges, how states articulate and practically implement their foreign policies, and what are the roles of institutions and leaders’ preferences in different models of foreign policy behavior. The section can include presentations focusing on both key theoretical approaches and practical issues in foreign policy analysis. Of particular interest would be papers problematizing the concepts of national interests from the viewpoint of various perspectives, as well as the instruments and techniques of power employed by states for achieving foreign policy goals. A variety of power tools can be presented and put in different foreign policy contexts, including the cost-benefit analysis, balance of capabilities and preferences, and the models of “win-win” / “lose-lose” situations with references to different conceptual approaches. The section also addresses the questions of who are the main actors in foreign policy decision making process, and how ruptures and conflicts within a foreign policy apparatus may impede its coherence. Differences between foreign policy-making processes in democratic and dictatorial regimes will be given particular attention. Another possible field for analysis is the importance of economic resources and instruments for foreign policy decision making.