Nov. 15, 2021
What We Are Learning This Week with Dr. Jean-Christophe Boucher
This week in POLI 492 Foreign Policy Analysis, Dr. Boucher is exploring news media and foreign policy analysis.
Nov. 22, 2021 in POLI 492 Foreign Policy Analysis
Dr. JC Boucher is exploring how news media shapes foreign policy analysis
Can you tell us a little more about this topic?
This class explores theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence examining the influence of news media on foreign policy decision-making with a focus salience and framing effect. We also analyze how emergent digital media platforms are increasingly influential in our contemporary societies and how they are creating new opportunities and challenges in the foreign policy realm.
What else do you cover in the course?
This course intends to familiarize students with the process of foreign policy decision-making. The course takes students on a journey through the theoretical corpus on foreign policy analysis and focuses on application to case studies. The course follows a traditional “levels of analysis” configuration which understand foreign policy as a multifaceted, multicausal phenomenon. From this theoretically rich foundation, we will choose different country throughout the semester to understand better how competing theoretical models allow us to explain foreign policy decision-making process and state behaviour.
How did you come to develop this course?
Foreign policy remains one of this issue that involves deep and conflicting views and debate in Canada. Nevertheless, we still struggle to develop a good understanding of what factors shape foreign policy decision-making and, more importantly, how these influences state behaviour in international affairs. This course tries to address this issue and help students better appreciate the complex mechanism involved in foreign policy decision-making.
Finally, what other courses would you recommend for students interested this topic?
This course is a good compliment to students interested in international relations.