Homework: International Relations after the Cold War
Length: 6 to 8 pages.
Overview: Some scholars argue that international relations in the post-Cold War era is fundamentally different from the Cold War era (e.g., Fukuyama 1989), subsequently, states should use "smart power" strategies to achieve their goals within this new environment (e.g., Nye 2011). Critics of "smart power" agree that the international system has changed in the post-Cold War era, but maintain that power is "returning" to international politics and the effective use of power (particularly hard power) is still crucial for achieving objectives in the post-Cold War era (e.g., Gelb 2009, Kagan 2007). The tradeoffs between hard, soft, and "smart power" form the basis of the final examination.
Prompt: Choosing ONE of the cases listed below:
i. United Kingdom
ii. France
iii. Germany
iv. Brazil
v. Russia
vi. China
Examine the extent to which "smart power" dominates the foreign policy in your selected case. Does the foreign policy of your selected case reflect a commitment to smart power as Nye recommends? Or does it reflect a "return to history" and a greater reliance on hard power as Kagan and Gelb suggest? Should it emphasize smart power? Why? Why not? To address this question, your paper should do the following:
i. Identify how "end of history" and "return to history" theorists conceptualize international relations in the post-Cold War era (i.e., What does each predict in international politics?).
ii. Define hard, soft, and "smart" power and explain the utility of hard, soft and "smart" power in both the "end of history" and "return to history" narratives (e.g., Should states focus on hard power? Soft power? Both?).
iii. Detail the main foreign policy objectives in your selected case, examining whether they are consistent with Nye's concept of smart power.
iv. Argue whether foreign policy in your selected case should/should not reflect the aims of smart power.
Format your homework according to the following formatting requirements:
i) The answer should be typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), double spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides.
ii) The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the homework, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
iii) Also include a reference page. The Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.