Unveiling the Hidden Influencers: The Power of Individuals in Shaping Foreign Policy

-

The individual level of analysis in foreign policy analysis (FPA) plays a crucial role in understanding decision-making processes and policy outcomes. Hudson outlines six hallmarks of FPA, one of which is the multilevel nature of factors that influence decision-making, categorized into individual, state, and system levels.

At the individual level, Goldstein emphasizes the significance of individual human beings as the true actors in international relations. Great leaders, citizens, soldiers, and thinkers shape the course of history through their perceptions, choices, and actions. Understanding the personalities, beliefs, and values of decision-makers provides insights into their motivations and decision-making processes. Personality traits, political inclinations, and values can influence foreign policy decisions, and knowledge of these factors enhances our understanding of decision-makers' motivations.

Perceptions also play a significant role in the individual level of analysis. The way policy-makers make sense of specific decision-making situations influences their foreign policy choices. Students of perception, framing, and problem representation study how decision-makers interpret and define events and situations in their world. Minister Pato's perception of the benefits of hosting refugees and their positive contributions to national development influenced the endorsement of the national refugee policy.

Minister Pato's understanding of Melanesian communalism and his perception that non-Melanesian refugees could contribute similarly to Melanesian refugees shaped his endorsement of the policy. His perception aligned with the belief that providing assistance to those in need, regardless of blood ties or cultural connections, was a fundamental aspect of Melanesian identity. These individual-level factors influenced the decision-making process and subsequent policy outcomes.

In analyzing the individual level of analysis, it is essential to consider public perceptions as well. Public opinion and societal attitudes toward foreign policy decisions can influence their reception and implementation. News clips from EMTV can provide insights into public perceptions regarding the national refugee policy.

Understanding the individual level of analysis is not limited to foreign policy but can also be applied to other fields. For example, studying the teaching and learning strategies employed by academics requires an understanding of the individuals who formulate these strategies. Personal traits, beliefs, values, and perceptions of academics influence their teaching approaches and decisions regarding assessment tasks.

Furthermore, the absence of foreign policy or international relations academia in Papua New Guinea influences the teaching philosophy of the lecturer. Access to technology and online resources has changed the way learning and teaching are conducted, and personal experiences shape the view on knowledge accessibility and sharing.

In conclusion, the individual level of analysis is vital in foreign policy analysis as it focuses on decision-makers and their perceptions, beliefs, values, and personalities. Understanding these factors provides valuable insights into the motivations and decision-making processes of individuals in shaping foreign policy. The individual level of analysis is also applicable in other contexts, such as academia and teaching strategies. By considering the individual level, we can better comprehend the reasons behind foreign policy decisions and their impact on international relations.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FPA: Organizational Process Model

-
This model centers on the fact that different bureaucracies have different standard operating procedures. These procedures are made in order to allow day to day operations to be carried out. Thus, a foreign policy decision is made based on these standard operating procedures. It is hard for a bureaucracy to make a decision or let alone function out of character or contrary to their standard operating procedure. The reading Chapter 4: Foreign policy shares a straight forward explanation of the OPM: "An alternative to the rational model of decision making is the organizational process model. In this model, foreign policy decision makers generally skip the labor-intensive process of identifying goals and alternative actions, relying instead for most decisions on standardized responses or standard operating procedures. For example, the U.S. State Department everyday receives more than a thousand reports or inquiries from its embassies around the world and sends out more than a
Read more

Commercial liberalism and the six norms

-
Image
Liberal internationalism is defined by Griffiths, O'Callaghan and Roach (2008, p.190) as a project to transform international relations so that they conform to models of peace, freedom, and prosperity allegedly enjoyed within constitutional liberal democracies. The same scholars go further by dividing liberalism into three distinct groups. They say these are the three ways to implement the project. The way they present liberal internationalism as a project makes their work interesting. Three distinct groups Firstly, commercial liberalism is about free trade between states. States bilaterally or multilaterally via a platform like APEC pursue the goal of trade liberalization. Griffiths, O'Callagahan and Roach (ibid.) argued that economic interdependence would decrease the likelihood of going to war. Republican liberalism is about democratic peace. The scholars argued that the spread of democracy among states so that governments will be accountable to their citizens makes it di
Read more

Allison's rational actor model

-
There are 3 common models of foreign policy decision making according to Graham Allison: rational actor model organizational process mode government politics model.  We will discuss the 3 models and compare them with the 3 levels of analysis. However, I challenge you to use your own initiative to learn about the other models of decision making. This will help you as future decision makers or analysts to understand how decisions are made and the processes. When one wakes up from bed he or she decides whether or not to brush their teeth, comb their hair and have a shower. These decisions are paramount, they affect and influence how the individual interacts in a social setting. This highlights the fact that as human beings we make decisions every day. Decision making is defined as the thought process of selecting a logical choice from the available options. In the case of the ‘Kibung peles boy’ analogy; the male student had a choice of approaching the girl to ask her ou
Read more