A Concise History of U.S. Foreign Policy

Now in a fully updated edition, A Concise History of U.S. Foreign Policy offers a conceptual and historical overview of American foreign relations from the founding to the present. Compact and accessible, the text provides students with a clear and concise understanding of key decisions and why they were made. Joyce Kaufman introduces the major themes that have driven the making of U.S. foreign policy, with an emphasis on the importance of economics and trade as well as the relevant political issues of the time to both describe and explain critical decisions. Beginning with the question 'what is foreign policy and why is it important?' the author shows the reader how foreign policy is relevant to everyone, and in some way touches all our lives. The book develops the themes historically to show how various presidents and administrations built upon the past, and where they set a new course and why. Kaufman pays particular attention to the Cold War and beyond, with a chapter devoted specifically to the changes in direction of American foreign policy as a result of September 11. She concludes with a look forward to challenges the United States will face in the coming decades. With its strong narrative and use of compelling case studies, the book engages students fully in this crucial topic, encouraging them to form their own ideas about American foreign policy.