American Foreign Policy and Process

Reviews / Votes

'In the latest edition of his book, Professor McCormick correctly frames U.S. foreign policy as shaped by competing American values, even when those values are sometimes in tension with one another. The influence of Congress, interest groups, public opinion, and bureaucratic actors are all capably examined. Overall, this is the single best textbook on the subject.' Colin Dueck, the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University 'This textbook provides a wonderfully rich overview of the ideas, actors, and processes that shape U.S. foreign policy. It draws on the latest research, illustrates key ideas with compelling examples, and is a pleasure to read. It's an ideal textbook for a U.S. foreign policy course and a valuable resource for all students of foreign affairs.' Jordan Tama, School of International Service, American University 'In the new edition of American Foreign Policy and Process, James McCormick has improved this already outstanding text. His thorough and thoughtful updates and discussion of the Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations make this book a 'must.' It is student-friendly and filled with timely scholarship. This is the most up-to-date text available, loaded with insights derived from McCormick's distinguished career.' Patrick Haney, Miami University 'Professor McCormick's book combines a comprehensive review of U.S. foreign policy history with a careful analysis of the institutional foreign policy process. McCormick's analysis is thematically driven, with a focus on how political competition on values and beliefs has consistently shaped U.S. foreign policy since the Founding, with a particular focus on the period since World War II. The author effectively applies different theoretical lenses to the foreign policies of U.S. presidents and how other institutions have competed to shape U.S. policy. The analysis includes extensive use of updated empirical data from political science scholarship, providing a fresh take on past and current foreign policy problems.' Jeffrey Peake, Clemson University