Course List

This course examines theories of business-government interactions in the making of a nation's foreign policy. The central questions we will address are: When and how do businesses influence foreign policy? Should the goals of business be given priority in foreign policy over non-economic goals such as democracy-building or human rights protection given the greater interconnectedness of contemporary world economies? We will then apply the competing theoretical perspectives on these questions to current foreign policy debates on technology transfer, outsourcing of jobs, global climate change etc. Although the empirical focus of the course will be on the foreign policy of the US, we will also draw on comparative case studies of emerging powers such as India and China. The course has no prerequisites.