http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/keyword/foreign-policy Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Tue, 28 Apr 2026 06:58:42 -0400 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 06:58:42 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1901/the-jazz-ambassadors-intersections-of-american-foreign-power-and-black-artistry-in-duke-ellingtons-far-east-suite By Rebecca E. Coyne - Scholarly discussions of Ellington’s Far East Suite, a composition inspired by his travels to India and the Middle East, have tended to interpret its impressionistic depictions of the “exotic” either as evidence of a superior cultural sensitivity or as the straightforward continuation of a white Orientalist musical tradition. I propose a third view based on the overlapping and racialized power dynamics of jazz ambassadorship itself: Ellington uses conventional jazz tropes rather than absorbing foreign musical influences in the Far East Suite in order to assert the independent... Tue, 25 May 2021 09:12 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1901/the-jazz-ambassadors-intersections-of-american-foreign-power-and-black-artistry-in-duke-ellingtons-far-east-suite http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1769/united-states-patents-biopiracy-and-cultural-imperialism-the-theft-of-indias-traditional-knowledge By Daanyaal R. Kumar - This article aims to present the biopiracy of traditional knowledge from India by the United States, which has occurred directly through the use of patent law and indirectly through economic power and cultural imperialism. Throughout this essay, I will analyze U.S. patent law, patent law cases where Indian traditional knowledge is being stolen, and the influence of U.S. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America in India. Through lenses of economic power and cultural imperialism, I will examine how economic power and U.S notions of cultural imperialism have given the United States the... Thu, 03 Oct 2019 08:21 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1769/united-states-patents-biopiracy-and-cultural-imperialism-the-theft-of-indias-traditional-knowledge http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1720/before-drones-us-covert-action-in-africa-during-the-congo-crisis By Drew A. Calcagno - A man named Patrice Lumumba led the nation's independence struggle, starting as the head of a local anti-colonial movement and eventually growing to be the first democratically-elected prime minister. Lumumba was under no delusion that Belgium and the greater West would continue to exploit the Congo if given the chance. Due to this philosophy, he expressed in famously charismatic terms that the Congo would progress only if it fully divorced itself from the colonial yoke. Through his magnetism, Lumumba found great allies as well as great enemies. His approach was rich with revolutionary diction... Thu, 30 Nov 2017 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1720/before-drones-us-covert-action-in-africa-during-the-congo-crisis http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1659/tracing-the-success-of-soft-power-in-the-us-state-departments-future-leaders-exchange-program By Leyla R. Latypova - The United States government started exploring the soft power potential of student and scholar exchange programs as early as 1908, with the establishment of the Boxer Indemnity Scholarship Program.[1] The father of the theory of soft power, Joseph Nye, was not even born when Edmund James, then president of the University of Illinois, outlined precisely the soft power benefits of the student exchange in his letter to president Franklin D. Roosevelt. James wrote, “The nation which succeeds in educating the young Chinese of the present generation will be the nation which, for a given expenditure... Mon, 23 Oct 2017 11:42 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1659/tracing-the-success-of-soft-power-in-the-us-state-departments-future-leaders-exchange-program http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1596/scientific-federal-agencies-andand-the-united-states-negotiation-for-the-limited-test-ban-treaty-1962-1963 By Helen Thompson - In October of 1962, the United States and Soviet Union’s arms race in ballistic missiles escalated to an unnerving confrontation that lasted thirteen days, while both world leaders waited on opposite sides of the world for the other to say the word and start a nuclear war. This confrontation became known as the Cuban Missile Crisis and is equated to be the climax of the Cold War.[1] During these frightening thirteen days, President John F. Kennedy and Premier Nikita Khrushchev deliberated over launching nuclear warheads to begin a nuclear war in the Western hemisphere. The magnitude of this... Mon, 27 Mar 2017 12:38 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1596/scientific-federal-agencies-andand-the-united-states-negotiation-for-the-limited-test-ban-treaty-1962-1963 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1562/the-china-dilemma-a-study-of-the-ideological-roots-of-us-foreign-policy-towards-china-during-the-cold-war By Austin Krug - This paper investigates the influence of U.S. foreign policymakers' perceptions towards China on policy formulation during the Cold War. The influence of perceptions, especially perceptions surrounding the ideology of combatant states, is especially controversial when looking at the Cold War, a period known for extreme ideological vitriol between the United States and the Soviet Union. Drawing on the literature surrounding the relationship between these two states, I aim to expand the analysis to Sino-American relations. Specifically, I ask what influence did ideology have on U.S. foreign policymakers... Sat, 31 Dec 2016 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1562/the-china-dilemma-a-study-of-the-ideological-roots-of-us-foreign-policy-towards-china-during-the-cold-war http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1567/understanding-the-potential-for-conflict-in-the-south-china-sea By Bailey Wong - Foreign policymakers, academics, and regional pundits have all acknowledged the importance of the South China Sea. This region, rich in resources and trade, is the subject of intense territorial contest and is perpetually at risk for escalation and confrontation. This research analyzes the potential for conflict in the South China Sea by examining when and why China has used force in its past territorial disputes. Current theories in international relations offer multiple competing explanations for when and why states use force, highlighting different explanatory variables, such as military might... Sat, 31 Dec 2016 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1567/understanding-the-potential-for-conflict-in-the-south-china-sea http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1565/reevaluating-military-strategy-the-effectiveness-of-conventional-deterrence By Dan Fitzgerald - The rise of modernized and efficient militaries competing for dominance against the United States' military has resulted in increased eruptions of conflict globally. A majority of decisions by the Joint Chiefs and EUCOM about long-term U.S. military policy in these areas are currently being based off personal and historical observations, along with blatant speculation. The question that should be asked before formulating these positions is if crisis management techniques, like conventional force movement, have a positive effect on the response to crisis triggers. The aim of this research is to... Sat, 31 Dec 2016 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1565/reevaluating-military-strategy-the-effectiveness-of-conventional-deterrence http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1513/quantifying-chinas-influence-on-the-shanghai-cooperation-organization By Abigail Grace - Following the People's Republic of China's "Reform and Opening Up" (gaige kaifang) ushered in by Deng Xiaoping in 1978, China's participation in international organizations has dramatically increased.2 These organizations cover a range of issues, and include institutions such as the United Nations Security Council, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum, the World Trade Organization, and the World Bank. However, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a notable departure from these aforementioned institutions. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization was founded... Mon, 05 Dec 2016 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1513/quantifying-chinas-influence-on-the-shanghai-cooperation-organization http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1455/chinese-nationalism-or-the-chinese-communist-party-who-is-really-guiding-chinas-foreign-policy By Tennessee F. Abbott - China and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that leads it has historically limited itself in regards to projecting power and inserting itself into international disputes and affairs. With the exception of its involvement in the Korean War, most conflicts that China has involved itself with were over border disputes.[1] This relative lack of assertiveness is by no means an accident, and in fact is a deliberate strategy that harks back to the early days of Deng Xiaoping and the reform and opening up policies. China's “peaceful rise” as its leaders like to put it has placed a heavy emphasis... Wed, 05 Oct 2016 12:11 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1455/chinese-nationalism-or-the-chinese-communist-party-who-is-really-guiding-chinas-foreign-policy http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1439/detente-studies-in-cold-war-international-history-questions-unmarked By Jittipat Poonkham - Détente is generally understood as a relaxation of international tension. However, there are many conceptions and characteristics of détente: superpower détente (such as ‘Nixinger's, Leonid Brezhnev's or Mao Zedong/ Zhou Enlai's détente), European détente (such as Charles de Gaulle's détente and Willy Brandt's Ostpolitik) and, to a lesser extent, small powers' détente. Détente connotes different things to different states (and statesmen) at different time. That is, it is one concept with many interpretations. The article examines the... Wed, 24 Aug 2016 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1439/detente-studies-in-cold-war-international-history-questions-unmarked http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1572/thrifty-authoritarians-us-regime-change-1945-present By Daniel J. Savickas - The efficacy of efforts by the United States government to influence regime change in foreign nations has been increasingly called into question. Motivated by these statements of skepticism, the study herein provides a statistical analysis of the impact US intervention has had on both democratic evolutions in target nations for regime change, and for the development of their GDP per capita. An analysis of GDP per capita in target nations for US-sponsored regime change offers observers insight into both how standard of living conditions may have improved in those nations and a brief overview of... Tue, 31 May 2016 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1572/thrifty-authoritarians-us-regime-change-1945-present http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1182/the-potential-benefits-of-early-neutral-intervention-in-revolutions By Thomas Sutton II - In the latter half of his essay, The Ethics of Revolution and Its Implications for the Ethics of Intervention, in addition to the widely accepted rationale for early, neutral foreign intervention into revolutions[i] — that early intervention by a third party into crises prevents many casualties — Buchanan provides two compelling arguments for the potential benefits of early intervention. He proposes that it can be used both to mitigate the continuous “cycle of coercion” that usually accompanies revolutions, and to establish suitable conditions for the free expression... Wed, 15 Apr 2015 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1182/the-potential-benefits-of-early-neutral-intervention-in-revolutions http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1178/surveying-the-challenges-and-opportunities-of-americas-foreign-policy-toward-central-asia By Andreas Borgeas - America’s record of engagement in Central Asia[i] has been extensive during its post-9/11 era of adventurism. Between its vast military infrastructure and its explosive expansion of new commercial and security networks, the US has invested enormous resources in Central Asia in the last fourteen years. Consequently the US has financed repressive governments, ignited religious resistance groups, and exacerbated tensions with neighboring powers Russia and China. Indeed the US recalibrated its traditional foreign policy toward this region in order to pursue a forward operating position... Wed, 15 Apr 2015 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1178/surveying-the-challenges-and-opportunities-of-americas-foreign-policy-toward-central-asia http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1179/a-new-cold-war-explaining-russias-new-confrontations-with-the-west By Michael McFaul - What I want to do today is answer one really big question. If we have time maybe we’ll get to the second question, but I want to answer one big question, because that’s what we should do as academics. It comes from an experience I had right after I left government. I came home to Palo Alto, and one of my neighbors said, “Mike you should come over for lunch, we’re interested in hearing about your experiences in Moscow.” So I went over to lunch and we started talking, and my neighbor started telling some stories about his time in government. My neighbor is George... Wed, 15 Apr 2015 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1179/a-new-cold-war-explaining-russias-new-confrontations-with-the-west http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/997/examining-the-image-of-the-united-states-in-the-arab-world-and-the-relationship-with-israel-during-the-obama-administration By Alexandra M. Quinn - President Obama did, however, have options that would lead to more immediate upticks in ratings: in a January 2009 Foreign Policy Opinion Briefing, Gallup polling of various North African and Middle Eastern countries (including the Palestinian territories) showed pulling out of Iraq and closing the Guantanamo Bay as the factors most likely to improve those countries’ views of the U.S. On the other hand, the complexities of the United States’ deeply embedded relationship with Israel, as well as its involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, have continually been a source... Mon, 09 Feb 2015 05:12 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/997/examining-the-image-of-the-united-states-in-the-arab-world-and-the-relationship-with-israel-during-the-obama-administration http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1067/britains-4th-afghan-war By Michael Clarke - British troops will be winding up their operations in Afghanistan by the end of next year. There may be other specialised things British troops will do thereafter, depending on what happens in Afghanistan from 2015. But sustained ‘combat operations’ for British forces have already ended and the 9,000 British troops in Helmand will begin pulling out from the beginning of 2014. By Christmas they should all be gone. They have been there in various ways since the autumn of 2001, so the country is winding down a commitment that has spanned a full 13 years. Many observers will be taking... Thu, 01 Jan 2015 07:58 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1067/britains-4th-afghan-war http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1192/us-policy-toward-africa-application-of-us-africa-command-signals-africas-increasing-strategic-importance By James DeTemple - The U.S. has a responsibility to defend its security interests globally and be ready respond to emerging crises anywhere in the world at a moment's notice. The global U.S. military command and control structure divides the world into various geographic regions for the employment of U.S. military forces in support of the U.S. national security strategy. It is an international reality that reflects U.S. regional policies, including U.S. policy toward Africa. The relatively new USAFRICOM is one of six U.S. Department of Defense geographic commands – the U.S. Africa Command (Africa), U.S. Central... Sat, 01 Nov 2014 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1192/us-policy-toward-africa-application-of-us-africa-command-signals-africas-increasing-strategic-importance http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/932/chinas-harmonious-world-in-the-era-of-the-rising-east By Richard E. Poole - Almost unanimously, theorists, academics, and policy makers around the world agree that China is 'rising' (regardless of the negative/positive connotations associated with the term 'rise' itself). In 2007, the same year the 'harmonious world' policy discussed herein was further institutionalised in Hu's official "Report to the 17th Party Congress," China was the world's third largest trading partner with a GDP of $3.24 trillion dollars, and has since become the second largest, overtaking Japan (Jintao 2007; Bergsten et al 2009, pp. 209-210). Even during the recession, China was able to boast growth... Wed, 29 Oct 2014 10:48 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/932/chinas-harmonious-world-in-the-era-of-the-rising-east http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1593/policy-and-place-in-international-economic-coercion By Cullen Moran - This paper investigates factors that contribute to the effectiveness of international economic sanctions. A review of existing literature on sanctions reveals that scholars of economic statecraft have largely neglected to consider two variables – the policy goals of the sender and the place where sanctions are implemented – in their analyses of sanctions success. This study uses multiple analyses of variance to establish that policy and place do account for a degree of variation in the success rate of sanctions. Causal mechanisms that reflect the role of the power-maximizing policymaker... Sat, 31 May 2014 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1593/policy-and-place-in-international-economic-coercion http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1185/diplomacy-and-debt-us-attribution-of-status-resulting-from-ida-graduation By Karinne Smolenyak - With one fifth of the world’s economy and the world’s only global military force, American diplomacy is critical to the future despite the lack of a ‘grand strategy.’ For example, Henrikson proposes ‘Americanism’ (2006) as one potential future. He does not mean America exerts hegemonic control over the world, but future world diplomacy may become a response to American action and American domestic politics (2006). If the United States’ diplomatic strategy (i.e. attribution of status to states) plays a critical in the world’s future, is it possible... Tue, 15 Apr 2014 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1185/diplomacy-and-debt-us-attribution-of-status-resulting-from-ida-graduation http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1188/us-policy-of-engagement-toward-north-korea-normalizing-the-balance-of-terror By Jung-Ju Lee - In this paper, I outline and evaluate three approaches to addressing the international threat posed by North Korea: 1) Hostile isolation through economic sanctions, intimidation, and aggressive military posturing to instigate denuclearization 2) Containment by impeding vertical and horizontal proliferation of North Korean missiles that emphasizes the maintenance of status quo over a policy of denuclearization 3) Engagement through multilateral efforts to offer political and economic incentives in exchange for gradual dismantlement of nuclear weapons production, backed by guarantees of international... Tue, 15 Apr 2014 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1188/us-policy-of-engagement-toward-north-korea-normalizing-the-balance-of-terror http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/886/talking-to-terrorists-facilitating-dialogue-with-the-afghan-taliban By T M - Section 2 analyses the current state of the conflict and places the conflict and its parties in the broader historical context. It explains Afghanistan’s lack of strong central government, and why areas beyond Kabul have traditionally been under the authority of local strongmen or tribes, who fought each other unless external threats existed.[3] We seek to evaluate whether the Taliban can be constructively involved instead of applying the ‘terrorist’ label.[4] Labeling this prominent insurgency group as such pre-emptively excludes such actors rather than seeing them as potential... Wed, 09 Apr 2014 01:44 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/886/talking-to-terrorists-facilitating-dialogue-with-the-afghan-taliban http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1601/vision-to-product-inconsistencies-in-theories-used-in-failed-peacebuilding-programs By Rick Bartoldus - This paper identifies and provides an initial analysis of the problem of mismatched theories in peacebuilding programs. This problem occurs when a project is developed by a group that subscribes to one theory of peacebuilding, but is then executed by a group that subscribes to a different theory. A single case study is chosen in order to analyze both the occurrence of the problem and its effects. The Afghan Civilian Assistance Program (ACAP) follows the simple formula of finding Afghan civilians adversely affected by conflict and offering assistance in order to help them rebuild their lives. The... Tue, 31 Dec 2013 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1601/vision-to-product-inconsistencies-in-theories-used-in-failed-peacebuilding-programs http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1485/the-effects-of-the-us-pivot-to-asia-on-european-strategic-cooperation By Thomas Armstong - The current state of European strategic cooperation is optimistically described as "splintered" and pessimistically labeled as "nonexistent" by politicians and pundits alike. A potential retreat of the EU to staunch intergovernmentalism frustrates those who hoped Europe could reach its supranational potential to address global strategic challenges. The EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), its subsidiary Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP), the European Defense Agency (EDA), and the European External Action Service (EEAS) were all designed to address modern strategic challenges... Fri, 15 Nov 2013 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1485/the-effects-of-the-us-pivot-to-asia-on-european-strategic-cooperation http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/771/refugee-policy-and-foreign-policy-examining-policy-linkage-in-chinese-relations-with-north-korea-myanmar-and-vietnam By Jasmine Lam - This paper analyzes state refugee policies through the lenses of foreign policy behavior and policy linkage. The case studies compare variations in Chinese state policies towards refugees from North Korea, Myanmar, and Vietnam. Through an additional examination of China’s relations with these states, it is found that fluctuations in levels of cooperation, which characterize bilateral relations, help explain differences in state refugee policies. Specifically, the higher level of cooperation between state A and B, the less likely the receiving state A will admit the refugees of state B, and... Fri, 11 Oct 2013 11:46 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/771/refugee-policy-and-foreign-policy-examining-policy-linkage-in-chinese-relations-with-north-korea-myanmar-and-vietnam http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/753/americas-misguided-war-on-terror-contrasting-samuel-huntingtons-clash-of-civilizations-with-ibn-khalduns-theory-of-social-solidarity By Aminata M. Kone - Islam has been under siege since 2001 and in today's political environment, Muslims are too often associated with terrorism. The heinous attacks of 9/11 were treated by the U.S. not as crimes – which would require criminal prosecution and law enforcement – but as a statement of war against Americans, freedom, democracy, and “the Western way of life” (Hossein-zadeh 2006: 91). From this standpoint, and viewing acts of terrorism as acts of war, a military response seemed appropriate. So far, however, the global war on terror has done little to eradicate terrorism. On the contrary... Mon, 02 Sep 2013 02:31 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/753/americas-misguided-war-on-terror-contrasting-samuel-huntingtons-clash-of-civilizations-with-ibn-khalduns-theory-of-social-solidarity http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1200/the-forgotten-continenent-the-story-of-the-uss-return-to-africa By Marina Tolchinsky - When President Eisenhower created the Bureau for African Affairs within the U.S. State Department in 1958, the intent was clear: to prevent the spread of communism. Never before had there been an office within the U.S. government that was solely responsible for developing U.S. foreign policy towards countries in Africa. The U.S. Bureau for Africa was born from the Cold War, and anti-communist rhetoric shaped much of its early policies. As the U.S. engaged in proxy wars to prevent the spread of communism on the continent, African issues gained a new importance to U.S. foreign policy. However, when... Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1200/the-forgotten-continenent-the-story-of-the-uss-return-to-africa http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1610/the-states-struggle-to-master-asymmetrical-warfare By Joe Wisniewski - The only way to truly study asymmetrical warfare is to take into account its long history. Thus, this paper utilizes a dataset that contains almost two hundred wars fought since 1817 in order to measure the relationship between the duration of asymmetrical war and the state's chances of victory. The results showcased little difference in the state's percentage of victory for short and medium length wars. For wars over three years, the chances of victory for the state plunged by thirty-one percent. This "three year switch" fits into existing models on how terrorism is effectively evolving to combat... Mon, 31 Dec 2012 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1610/the-states-struggle-to-master-asymmetrical-warfare http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1213/a-pacifist-in-the-pacific-past-present-and-future-united-states-policy-towards-myanmar By Sean K. Long - Myanmar, sitting on the border between South and Southeast Asia, reflects a historically oppressive state with internal struggle as surrounding countries compete for influence. In 1990, the government promised multi-party elections only to ignore the results and imprison advocates for democracy, including Aung San Suu Kyi, the face of Myanmar’s democratic movement. Afterwards, the United States adopted economic sanctions and restricted ties with the country. Recently, leaders in Myanmar have reached out to the United States for the first time in decades. With policy towards Myanmar* at a... Thu, 01 Nov 2012 06:41 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1213/a-pacifist-in-the-pacific-past-present-and-future-united-states-policy-towards-myanmar