British Foreign Policy

Course content

This course provides an insight to British Foreign Policy. Spanning the period from the spread of the British Empire to the present day, this module seeks to offer an overview of British foreign policy by concentrating on: a) the major actors involved b) the institutional and historical context of decision-making and c) the relationship between domestic political factors and foreign policy initiatives/decisions. Particular emphasis will be placed on the period after 1945. The module covers six thematic issues: 1) The Rise and Decline of the British Empire 2) Decolonization and Its Aftermath 3) Anglo-American Relations 4) Britain in Europe 5) Defense and Security Policy 6) Foreign Policy and Domestic Factors. Two weeks´ lectures will be devoted to each thematic issue. Efforts will be made to allocate time for debate at the end of each lecture-student participation is strongly encouraged.