Minister Pato and the Individual level of analysis

Hudson (2007) talked about the 6 hallmarks of foreign policy analysis. One particular hallmark that is closely connected to our topic for this week is multilevel. She said factors that influence decision making and decision makers are clustered in 3 different levels; individual, state and system level of analysis.

Foreign policy analysis is a complex and broad sub-field. The levels of analysis provides a simple or organized framework to help us understand competing explanations and theories.  

Goldstein (2005) said; “The individual level of analysis concerns the perceptions, choices, and actions of individual human beings. Great leaders influence the course of history, as do individual citizens, thinkers, soldiers, and voters. Without Lenin, it is said, there might well have been no Soviet Union. If a few more college students had voted for Nixon rather than Kennedy in the razor-close 1960 elections, the Cuban Missile Crisis might have ended differently.” 

He further states that individuals are the only true actors in international relations. Every international event is the result, intended or unintended, of decisions made by individuals. This makes it clear that the individual level of analysis is agent-oriented and actor specific.

According to Breuning (2007: 11-12): “The individual level of analysis focuses on leaders and decision makers in an effort to explain foreign policy. It assumes that individuals shape the course of history, because it is their choices and decisions that drive the course of events. The analysis of individuals might focus on either their personalities or on their perceptions—how they make sense of their world and the events occurring within it.”

“The first focus leads to the study of personality traits, beliefs, and values as the factors that explain foreign policy decisions. It emphasizes the enduring qualities of an individual decision maker. Insight into the personality, character, beliefs, and values of the individual enhances our ability to gauge what motivates that decision maker. Does it make a difference whether a leader is extremely power hungry? Does it make a difference whether he or she enjoys the political game? Students of personality and other enduring qualities of leaders (such as their character) suggest that the answer is most often affirmative.” (Ibid. p. 12)

In regards to beliefs, let us look at a particular statement made by Minister Pato in the National Refugee Policy (2015). In his foreword, he said (p. 2): “As Papua New Guineans, we are proud of our tradition of providing assistance to people in need, Whether our bond with those needing help is through blood, language, culture or simple common humanity, we do not turn our backs.”

From a Melanesian point of view, this is a factual statement. As members of the DWU community, we demonstrated the spirit of community in the haus krai involving Mr. Kuias. From year one to year four, all students from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences contributed something in cash or kind to express your sorrow for the death of the late Mrs. Kuias.

Like what Minister Pato said, many of us are not connected to the Kuias family through blood, language or culture but in the name of simple common humanity and shared experiences, we provided assistance and support either physical or emotional.

The same Melanesian belief as expressed clearly in the statement made by Minister Pato influenced us to make the decision to help Australia as a neighbouring country. Apart from helping Australia, we are willing to help people who are running away from persecution, war, torture and rape.

Minister Pato goes on to say that, this practice is not new. We have welcomed Melanesian refugees from across the border. We have given them an opportunity to live a life that is different to what their family members are experiencing on the Indonesian side of the border.  

Breuning also said (2007: p. 12); “The second focus leads to the study of the perceptions and how these influence foreign policy decision making. The individual’s perceptions, or the process by which a person makes sense of events and situations in her or his world, are specific to that situation or event. Students of perception, framing, and problem representation do not negate the importance of personality, but they are more interested in how policy makers make sense of—or define—specific decision making situations.”

Minister Pato and other leaders in government had the perception that PNG in the years to come would benefit from housing the refugees. He said many refugees have skills and experience that are in short supply and greatly needed by Papua New Guinean businesses.

Furthermore, he said that international studies have consistently shown that over time refugees provided a net positive benefit to their new home country. Most become committed citizens, who have qualities of resilience, initiative and entrepreneurialism. They create jobs and additional revenue for their host governments. 

Minister Pato believed that the national refugee policy would contribute to national development as outlined in policy principle 4. He also states that the policy displays PNG’s humanitarian credentials to the world; captured in policy principle 5. This will help create a positive image of the country internationally.

His understanding of the Melanesian belief in communalism, and his optimistic perception that the non-Melanesian refugees might contribute to the growth of this country similar to Melanesian refugees led to the endorsement of the policy by the Cabinet.

What is the public perception about the policy? Let us listen or view a news clip from EMTV to determine the perception of a few who were interviewed by reporters. 

Let us try to understand the individual level of analysis using an example that is not connect to foreign policy. If you are a student who is interested in studying the different teaching and learning strategies of Divine Word University academics working for the different faculties. Then you will also need to have a good understanding of the different individuals who formulated the strategies.

The teaching and learning strategy that we are employing or implementing in this unit is slightly different from IR302 International Law in International Relations. One identifiable difference is the assessment tasks. For example, we produced several podcasts last semester in comparison to annotated bibliographies this semester.

We have two learning environment; the first learning environment is the classroom, and the second is our unit webpage on Moodle. How we conduct ourselves in the class or on our unit webpage as lecturer and tutor is a reflection of our personal traits, characters, beliefs, values and perception.

I have drawn from my experiences as an undergraduate student to change my style of assessing. When I was a student, I spent numerous hours going through my notes in order to remember and recall when I sat for my exams. Today, I cannot recall accurately most of the information that I spent hours reading and memorizing. However, I gained the valuable technique of using theories, concepts or frameworks to analyze or understand political events in either the domestic or the international political arena.    

Another factor that has influenced my view as well is the absence of foreign policy or international relations academia. We do not have any Papua New Guineans who are leading the way by publishing their research in international peer reviewed journals. If we do then these academic leaders will provide the mentorship and pathway for their younger colleagues.

We can conclude that my teaching philosophy ‘No one has monopoly over knowledge’ is my belief. Knowledge is readily available and accessible to all. You should not depend entirely on me or Ms. Hamadi to come and say academic things connected to the topic for the week. Use your access to the internet to read eBooks and articles from the many online databases via the Friendship library to develop your understanding. We also have many think tanks who publish many materials related to our topics.    

    

I did not have access to technology and technological platforms like Moodle, Twitter, Facebook or Blogger during my undergraduate years. I read out-of-date books in the library and old lecture notes from my seniors. These experiences have influence the way I view learning and teaching currently.

Therefore, a teaching and learning strategy for a unit is influenced by the personality or the perception of the academic. Likewise, the foreign policy of a country is influenced by the personality or the perception of the decision maker.

I would like to conclude with some questions; firstly, why did PNG agree to help Australia resettle refugees? Secondly, why did Peter O’Neill agree to assist Kevin Rudd resettle refugees? Thirdly, why did Rimbink Pato commend the national refugee policy? These questions make the individual level of analysis vital in our quest to understand international relations in general, and foreign policy analysis in particular.

Reference
Breuning, M. (2007). Foreign Policy Analysis (pp. 27-52). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Goldstein, J. (2005). International relations (6th ed.). Beijing: Peking University Press.
Hudson, V. M. (2007). Foreign policy analysis: classics and contemporary theory (pp. 3 – 37). Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Government of Papua New Guinea. (2015). National Refugee Policy.