Foreign Policy Analysis

Education facts

Code: SK1136

What are main factors that explain foreign policy decisions, actions and outcomes? Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA) is a field of study that provides a distinct answer to this question based on actor-specific theorizing. FPA is located in between international and comparative politics. It encourages an examination of foreign policy at different levels of analysis, ranging from the individual (perceptions and beliefs), the state (regime type, bureaucracy, public opinion) to the system level (balance of power and global governance). This course is aimed to give students the tools to analyse, interpret and explain the dynamics of foreign policy in individual and comparative cases, as well as to relate foreign policy to broader international developments at the global level. While it is mainly focused on the foreign policy of states, the course also considers the rise of new and non-state actors, like the European Union. The lectures will introduce students to the main theories and concepts in Foreign Policy Analysis, while the seminars will examine the foreign policy process and action in specific case studies.

Entry requirements

A successful completion of a minimum of 60 credits Social sciences, or equivalent. Applicants must prove their knowledge of English: English 6/English B from Swedish Upper Secondary School or the equivalent level of an internationally recognized test, for example TOEFL, IELTS.

Education offerings

Each offering has its own dates and conditions. Closed offerings are retained as history and do not mean that a new application is open.

• Foreign Policy Analysis

  University of Gothenburg

  Start date: 4 May 2026

  End date: 7 June 2026

  Pace of study: 100 %