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INRL30390

Academic Year 2024/2025

Foreign Policy Mistakes (INRL30390)

Subject:
International Relations
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Politics & Int Relations
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Dr Joshua Alley
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Why do intelligent, experienced, and well-intentioned leaders sometimes make significant foreign policy mistakes? For example, why did U.S. policymakers intervene in Vietnam, leaving three million dead? In hindsight, the Vietnam intervention seemed doomed, but multiple leaders persisted in prosecuting the war. Why do policymakers implement and continue foreign policy initiatives, even when in hindsight failure seems inevitable?
In this course, we will explore some well-known foreign policy mistakes to address these questions. We will take deep dives into the Vietnam War, the Soviet-Afghan War, and the 2003 Iraq War. We’ll wrestle with why and how leaders made decisions by drawing on historical accounts and social science theory. Furthermore, we will consider the human costs of these decisions and weigh competing perspectives on their merits.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the course, you will...
1. Reflect on the roots of several noteworthy foreign policy disasters, while recognizing the complexity and difficulty of policymaking.
2. Identify common issues and problems behind foreign policy mistakes.
3. Connect crucial aspects of cases covered from the course and related theoretical arguments.
4. Assess foreign policy initiatives with an eye towards promoting the common good.
5. Develop a range of questions you should ask policymakers and others in positions of power to learn more about policy initiatives.
6. Draw on historical knowledge of three important international events while discussing policy initiatives.

Indicative Module Content:

Foreign policy failure, Vietnam War, Soviet-Afghan War, 2003 Iraq War

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

200
Lectures

24
Total

224

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Teaching and learning activities will require students to connect specific cases with key theoretical ideas in political science and international relations.
Through class discussions, activities, and essay writing students will examine how leaders make foreign policy mistakes, and what that means for their lives as citizens, students, and workers.
Participants will also be expected to prepare thoroughly for each of the classes, particularly engaging with core readings, and to allocate a substantial amount of time to the completion of assessment work outside the classroom hours.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Participation in Learning Activities: Participation in class discussions Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12, Week 14, Week 15 Graded No
20
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Case Paper #1 Week 5 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
20
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Case essay #2 Week 9 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
20
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Learning portfolio Week 14 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
40
 No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

In line with university policy students will be provided with feedback within 20 working days of the deadline for submitting the assignment.

Gelb, Leslie H. and Richard K. Betts. 2016, The Irony of Vietnam: The System Worked. Brookings Institution Press. ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780815726784 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0815726784 (any edition is acceptable)

Mazaar, Michael J. 2020. Leap of Faith: Hubris, Negligence and America's Greatest Foreign Policy Tragedy

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 13:00 - 14:50
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