foreign policy research topics

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• A Research Guide
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25 Foreign Policy Research Paper Topics

25 foreign policy topics for a successful paper.

• Foreign policy and the role of propaganda in it
• Foreign policy of Japan
• Foreign policy of People’s Republic of Korea
• Foreign policy in the age of globalization
• Colonisation and the relations between former colonies and metropoly
• Weapons of mass destruction as instrument of foreign policy
• The foreign policy of President Trump
• The importance of diplomacy in the foreign policy
• Can terrorism be controllable instrument of foreign policy?
• Foreign policy of USA and USSR during the Cold War
• The idea of “Global Democracy”
• Foreign policy and its dependance of resources of country
• What makes the country strong enough to be a powerful player on the global arena?
• Foreign policy of USA
• Foreign policy of EU
• Foreign policy of Russia
• Protecting human rights and the foreign policy
• Case study of Fashoda Incident
• Yalta Conference
• The changes in the foreign policy of China in the last decade
• The loudest foreign policy events in 2018
• Dictatorships and the similarities in their foreign policy
• The changes in the foreign policy of the USA after the tragedy of September 11th
• Military intervention as an instrument of the foreign policy
• Humanitarian aid as an instrument of the foreign policy

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The Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) examines research topics surrounding global studies, international relations, & foreign policy issues.

Foreign Policy

Foreign Policy Research Paper Topics:

• The role of ideology in shaping foreign policy
• The impact of globalization on foreign policy
• The role of diplomacy in foreign policy decision-making
• The influence of public opinion on foreign policy
• The role of intelligence in foreign policy
• The role of international organizations in shaping foreign policy
• The impact of economic factors on foreign policy decisions
• The role of the media in shaping foreign policy
• The role of military force in foreign policy decision-making
• The impact of humanitarian considerations on foreign policy
• The role of historical legacies in shaping foreign policy
• The impact of identity politics on foreign policy
• The role of international law in foreign policy decision-making
• The impact of security considerations on foreign policy decisions
• The role of foreign aid in shaping foreign policy
• The impact of cultural factors on foreign policy decisions
• The role of leaders in shaping foreign policy
• The impact of domestic politics on foreign policy
• The role of international norms in shaping foreign policy
• The impact of environmental concerns on foreign policy decisions
• The role of public opinion in shaping alliances and coalitions
• The impact of technology on foreign policy decision-making
• The role of international regimes in shaping foreign policy
• The impact of terrorism on foreign policy decisions
• The role of intelligence sharing in foreign policy decision-making
• The impact of economic sanctions on foreign policy decisions
• The role of international peacekeeping missions in shaping foreign policy
• The impact of human rights concerns on foreign policy decisions
• The role of non-state actors in shaping foreign policy
• The impact of energy considerations on foreign policy decisions
• The role of propaganda in shaping foreign policy
• The impact of international trade on foreign policy decisions
• The role of ideology in shaping the perception of foreign threats
• The impact of international migration on foreign policy decisions
• The role of international financial institutions in shaping foreign policy
• The impact of international law on economic sanctions and trade agreements
• The role of cultural diplomacy in foreign policy
• The impact of the intelligence community on foreign policy decisions
• The role of nonproliferation in shaping foreign policy
• The impact of cybersecurity threats on foreign policy decisions
• The role of international development aid in foreign policy
• The impact of nationalism on foreign policy decisions
• The role of transnational social movements in shaping foreign policy
• The impact of climate change on foreign policy decisions
• The role of economic interdependence in shaping foreign policy
• The impact of foreign direct investment on foreign policy decisions
• The role of diasporas in shaping foreign policy
• The impact of the arms trade on foreign policy decisions
• The role of cultural differences in shaping foreign policy perceptions
• The impact of international justice on foreign policy decisions.

Foreign policy is composed of several elements, including economic, military, political, and cultural factors. Economic considerations form a significant part of foreign policy as nations engage in trade, investment, and financial transactions to advance their economic interests. Military factors, on the other hand, involve the use of force, military alliances, and weapons proliferation to safeguard a nation’s security and sovereignty. Political considerations include efforts to promote democratic governance, human rights, and global governance through international organizations such as the United Nations. Lastly, cultural factors, including soft power diplomacy, aim to project a nation’s values and ideals globally through music, art, literature, and sports.

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The formulation of foreign policy is influenced by various factors, including geography, history, culture, ideology, and leadership. The geographical location of a country plays a crucial role in shaping its foreign policy. For instance, a landlocked country may have a different foreign policy from a coastal state that relies on sea trade for its economic prosperity. Similarly, a nation’s history and culture shape its foreign policy. For example, Germany’s historical experience of being a defeated nation in World War II and the subsequent division between East and West Germany shaped its foreign policy of neutrality and European integration. Ideology and leadership also play a significant role in shaping foreign policy. A government with a liberal democratic ideology may adopt a foreign policy of promoting democracy and human rights globally. A leader’s personality and worldview may also influence foreign policy decisions, such as former US President Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign policy that prioritized the country’s national interests over global cooperation.

The significance of foreign policy in international relations cannot be overstated. Foreign policy determines a nation’s role and standing in the international system, its alliances and partnerships, and its response to global issues such as terrorism, climate change, and human rights abuses. Effective foreign policy can promote peace and cooperation among nations, advance economic prosperity, and enhance a country’s international reputation. On the other hand, poor foreign policy decisions can lead to conflict, economic stagnation, and damage to a nation’s reputation.

In conclusion, foreign policy is a critical area of study in political science, and it plays a crucial role in shaping a nation’s interactions with the international system. It is a complex and dynamic field that is influenced by several factors, including economic, military, political, and cultural considerations. Effective foreign policy can promote peace, security, and prosperity among nations, while poor decisions can lead to conflict and damage a nation’s international standing. Therefore, foreign policy is an essential aspect of political science and international relations, and its study is vital to understanding global affairs.

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US Foreign Policy Dissertation Topics and Examples

Published by Owen Ingram at January 6th, 2023 , Revised On January 6, 2023

US foreign policy has evolved significantly since the country’s inception. Since 1776, the US government has employed various strategies to protect and advance its interests abroad, foster relationships with other nations, and promote peace around the world. Over time, these policies have been shaped by geopolitics, international law, and public opinion.

At its core, there are four main principles:

• diplomatic engagement with other countries
• fostering economic prosperity through trade agreements and investments
• protecting national security by leveraging military prowess
• promoting universal values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law

Through these principles, the United States has strived to maintain global stability while promoting its own interests in a complex international environment.

As new challenges like terrorism or climate change arise, US foreign policy must continue to adapt to best serve the nation’s needs.

The topic of US foreign policy is an area of research that has grown in importance and relevance over the past few decades.

As countries become increasingly interconnected, the decisions made by US leaders have a direct impact on how other nations, both near and far, respond to events around the world.

For students looking for dissertation topics , researching US foreign policy offers a wealth of information to explore.

The study of US foreign policy provides students with an overview of the current state of international affairs.

Researching this topic can offer insight into complex political issues such as trade agreements between nations, geopolitical tensions between different regions and security concerns that arise from terrorist threats or military actions abroad.

Additionally, studies on US foreign policy allow students to look at how the country interacts with its allies and adversaries, providing them with a comprehensive understanding of how diplomacy works globally.

US Foreign Policy Dissertation Topics: How to Choose?

Writing a dissertation on US foreign policy is exciting, yet it can also be challenging. With so much to choose from in foreign policy, deciding which topic to focus on can be overwhelming.

Here are some tips for choosing a dissertation topic related to US foreign policy to make the decision easier.

• Consider what interests you most about the field of US foreign policy.
• Think about what particular aspects of this subject are most captivating or intriguing to you, and make a list of potential topics.
• Once you have narrowed your list, research each topic thoroughly to determine its relevance in today’s political landscape.
• Consider what resources are available; factor in primary sources such as government documents or personal interviews with people involved in the issue; and secondary sources such as scholarly articles or other published works dealing with the subject matter.
• Consider whether there is enough evidence to support a strong argument and any recent developments related to each candidate’s topic.
• Review other scholarly works on related topics and include their findings in your analysis when appropriate.
• Geography Dissertation Topics
• International Development Topics
• Diplomacy Dissertation Topics
• Brexit Dissertation Topics

List of US Foreign Policy Topics for Dissertation

• Public opinion and American foreign policy
• The diplomacy of ideas: US foreign policy and cultural relations, 1938-1950
• Public opinion and public policy, 1980-1993
•  Terrorism and US foreign policy
• Foreign policy topic of a talk by church
• The hypocrisy trap: US Foreign aid in the middle east
• America’s Empire in the Philippines. Headlines series 288.
• Understanding the unilateralist turn in US foreign policy
• The politics of scrutiny in human rights monitoring: evidence from structural topic models of US State Department human rights reports
• Projections of power: Framing news, public opinion, and US foreign policy
• Writing security: United States foreign policy and the politics of identity.
• Defending the national interest: Raw materials investments and US foreign policy
•  Ideology and US foreign policy
• America unbound: The bush revolution in foreign policy.
• Who influences US foreign policy?
• The Wilsonian century: US foreign policy since 1900
• The media’s role in US foreign policy
• The age of imperialism: The economics of US foreign policy
• Why Americans must lead again: Recusing US foreign policy after Trump
• World power trends and US foreign policy for the 1980s
• Agendas, alternatives, and public policy: Lessons from the US foreign policy arena
• Testing models of US foreign policy: Foreign aid during and after the Cold War
• Ethnic groups and US foreign policy
• Why is health important to US foreign policy?

The Importance of Selecting the Right US Foreign Policy Dissertation Topic

Choosing the right topic for a US foreign policy dissertation can offer multiple benefits.

• Firstly, it will help ensure that students can adequately explore the research subject matter effectively and comprehensively. The more focused and specific the thesis topic is, the easier it will be to uncover trends and patterns in data.
• Secondly, selecting a relevant topic also helps to maintain the reader’s interest throughout the research paper or dissertation. By choosing an exciting and engaging subject to explore in-depth, readers will stay engaged with an argument over extended periods.
• Finally, focusing on one single aspect of a more significant issue, such as US foreign policy, allows you to gain a greater understanding of its complexities, leading to further areas of exploration or potential future studies.

How Can ResearchProspect Help?

ResearchProspect writers can send several custom topic ideas to your email address. Once you have chosen a topic that suits your needs and interests, you can order for our dissertation outline service which will include a brief introduction to the topic, research questions , literature review , methodology , expected results , and conclusion . The dissertation outline will enable you to review the quality of our work before placing the order for our full dissertation writing service!

FAQs About US Foreign Policy Dissertation Ideas

How do i choose the most appropriate us foreign policy dissertation topic.

The first step in selecting a US foreign policy dissertation topic is to gain an understanding of the various elements that make up the subject. Consider all of the different aspects of foreign relations, such as economic and security concerns, diplomacy, international organisations and treaties.

Once you have gained an understanding of this information, you can begin exploring potential topics more deeply. Look for areas where there has been significant change over time or potential for further development in current topics that could lead to new insights into US foreign policy.

Is the list of dissertation topics above unique?

All topics are unique. However, it is available to the public to use for free so other students might use them. For a completely unique topic according to your requirements, contact us .

Does ResearchProspect provide customised and unique US foreign policy dissertation topics?

ResearchProspect provides many types of dissertation writing services , and we do provide customised US foreign policy dissertation topics. To learn more about us, visit the website.

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Condoleezza Rice is the Tad and Dianne Taube Director of the Hoover Institution and a Senior Fellow on Public Policy. She is the Denning Professor in Global Business and the Economy at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. In addition, she is a founding partner of Rice, Hadley, Gates & Manuel LLC, an international strategic consulting firm. From January 2005 to January 2009, Rice served as the 66th Secretary of State of the United States, the second woman and first black woman to hold the post. Rice also served as President George W. Bush’s Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (National Security Advisor) from January 2001 to January 2005, the first woman to hold the position. Rice served as Stanford University’s provost from 1993 to 1999, during which time she was the institution’s chief budget and academic officer. As Professor of Political Science, she has been on the Stanford faculty since 1981 and has won two of the university’s highest teaching honors. From February 1989 through March 1991, Rice served on President George H.W. Bush’s National Security Council staff. She served as Director, then Senior Director, of Soviet and East European Affairs, as well as Special Assistant to the President for National Security. In 1986, while an International Affairs Fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations, Rice also served as Special Assistant to the Director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. She has authored and co-authored numerous books, most recently To Build a Better World: Choices to End the Cold War and Create a Global Commonwealth (2019), co-authored with Philip Zelikow. Among her other volumes are three bestsellers, Democracy: Stories from the Long Road to Freedom (2017); No Higher Honor: A Memoir of My Years in Washington (2011); and Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family (2010). She also wrote Political Risk: How Businesses and Organizations Can Anticipate Global Insecurity (2018) with Amy B. Zegart; Germany Unified and Europe Transformed: A Study in Statecraft (1995) with Philip Zelikow; edited The Gorbachev Era (1986) with Alexander Dallin; and penned The Soviet Union and the Czechoslovak Army; 1948-1983: Uncertain Allegiance (1984).  In 1991, Rice co-founded the Center for a New Generation (CNG), an innovative, after-school academic enrichment program for students in East Palo Alto and East Menlo Park, California. In 1996, CNG merged with the Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula, an affiliate club of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BCGA). CNG has since expanded to local BGCA chapters in Birmingham, Atlanta, and Dallas. Rice remains an active proponent of an extended learning day through after-school programs.  Since 2009, Rice has served as a founding partner at Rice, Hadley, Gates, & Manuel LLC, an international strategic consulting firm based in Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C. The firm works with senior executives of major companies to implement strategic plans and expand in emerging markets. Other partners include former National Security Advisor Stephen J. Hadley, former Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, and former diplomat, author, and advisor on emerging markets, Anja Manuel. In 2022, Rice became a part-owner of the Denver Broncos as a part of the Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group. In 2013, Rice was appointed to the College Football Playoff Selection Committee, formerly the Bowl Championship Series. She served on the committee until 2017.  Rice currently serves on the boards of C3.ai, an AI software company; and Makena Capital Management, a private endowment firm. In addition, she is Vice Chair of the Board of Governors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and a trustee of the Aspen Institute. Previously, Rice served on various boards, including Dropbox; the George W. Bush Institute; the Commonwealth Club; KiOR, Inc.; the Chevron Corporation; the Charles Schwab Corporation; the Transamerica Corporation; the Hewlett-Packard Company; the University of Notre Dame; the Foundation of Excellence in Education; the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; and the San Francisco Symphony. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Rice earned her bachelor’s degree in political science, cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Denver; her master’s in the same subject from the University of Notre Dame; and her Ph.D., likewise in political science, from the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Denver. Rice is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has been awarded over fifteen honorary doctorates.

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H.R. McMaster is the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is also the Bernard and Susan Liautaud Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute and lecturer at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.  Upon graduation from the US Military Academy in 1984, McMaster served as a commissioned officer in the US Army for thirty-four years.  He retired as a lieutenant general in June 2018 after serving as the twenty-fifth assistant to the US president for the Department of National Security Affairs. From 2014 to 2017, McMaster designed the future army as the director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center and the deputy commanding general, futures, of the US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). As commanding general of the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, he oversaw all training and education for the army’s infantry, armor, and cavalry force. He has commanded organizations in wartime including the Combined Joint Inter-Agency Task Force—Shafafiyat in Kabul, Afghanistan, from 2010 to 2012; the Third Armored Cavalry Regiment in Iraq from 2005 to 2006; and Eagle Troop, Second Armored Cavalry Regiment in Operation Desert Storm from 1990 to 1991. McMaster also served overseas as advisor to the most senior commanders in the Middle East, Iraq, and Afghanistan. McMaster holds a PhD in military history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was an assistant professor of history at the US Military Academy. He is author of the bestselling books Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World and Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Lies that Led to Vietnam. His many essays, articles, and book reviews on leadership, history, and the future of warfare have appeared in The Atlantic, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, National Review, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and the New York Times. McMaster is the host of Battlegrounds: Vital Perspectives on Today’s Challenges and is a regular on GoodFellows, both produced by the Hoover Institution. He is a Distinguished University Fellow at Arizona State University.

Larry Diamond

Larry Diamond is the William L. Clayton Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, the Mosbacher Senior Fellow in Global Democracy at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI), and a Bass University Fellow in Undergraduate Education at Stanford University. He is also professor, by courtesy, of political science and sociology at Stanford. He co-chairs the Hoover Institution’s programs on China’s Global Sharp Power and on Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific Region.  At FSI, he leads the Program on Arab Reform and Democracy, based at the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law, which he directed for more than six years.  He also co-leads (with Eileen Donahoe) the Global Digital Policy Incubator based at FSI’s Cyber Policy Center. He served from 1989-2021 as the founding coeditor of the Journal of Democracy and continues to serve as senior consultant to the National Endowment for Democracy. His research focuses on democratic trends and conditions around the world and on policies and reforms to defend and advance democracy. His latest edited book (with Orville Schell), China's Influence and American Interests (Hoover Press, 2019), urges a posture of constructive vigilance toward China’s global projection of “sharp power,” which it sees as a rising threat to democratic norms and institutions He offers a massive open online course (MOOC) on Comparative Democratic Development through the edX platform and is now writing a textbook to accompany it. Diamond’s book, Ill Winds: Saving Democracy from Russian Rage, Chinese Ambition, and American Complacency, analyzes the challenges confronting liberal democracy in the United States and around the world at this potential “hinge in history” and offers an agenda for strengthening and defending democracy at home and abroad. A paperback edition with a new preface was released by Penguin in April 2020. His other books include: In Search of Democracy (2016), The Spirit of Democracy (2008), Developing Democracy: Toward Consolidation (1999), Promoting Democracy in the 1990s (1995), and Class, Ethnicity, and Democracy in Nigeria (1989). He has also edited or coedited more than fifty books on democratic development around the world, including a forthcoming volume on the challenges confronting India’s democracy. During 2002–03, Diamond served as a consultant to the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and was a contributing author of its report, Foreign Aid in the National Interest. He has also advised and lectured to universities and think tanks around the world and to the World Bank, the United Nations, the State Department, and other governmental and nongovernmental agencies dealing with governance and development. During the first three months of 2004, Diamond served as a senior adviser on governance to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad. His 2005 book, Squandered Victory: The American Occupation and the Bungled Effort to Bring Democracy to Iraq, was one of the first books to critically analyze America's postwar engagement in Iraq. Among Diamond’s other edited books are Democracy in Decline?; Democratization and Authoritarianism in the Arab World; Will China Democratize?; and Liberation Technology: Social Media and the Struggle for Democracy, all edited with Marc F. Plattner; and Politics and Culture in Contemporary Iran, with Abbas Milani. With Juan J. Linz and Seymour Martin Lipset, he edited the series Democracy in Developing Countries, which helped to shape a new generation of comparative study of democratic development.

Michael McFaul

Michael A. McFaul is the Peter and Helen Bing Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution as well as a professor of political science, director and senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. He also currently works as a news analyst for NBC.  His areas of expertise include international relations, Russian politics, comparative democratization, and American foreign policy.  From January 2012 to February 2014, he served as the US ambassador to the Russian Federation.  Before becoming ambassador, he served for three years as a special assistant to the president and senior director for Russian and Eurasian Affairs at the National Security Council.  He has authored and edited several books including, From Cold War to Hot Peace (2018), with Kathryn Stoner, eds., Transitions to Democracy: A Comparative Perspective (2013); Advancing Democracy Abroad: Why We Should and How We Can (2009); with Valerie Bunce and Kathryn Stoner-Weiss, eds., Democracy and Authoritarianism in the Postcommunist World (2009); with Anders Aslund, eds., Revolution in Orange: The Origins of Ukraine's Democratic Breakthrough (2006); with Nikolai Petrov and Andrei Ryabov, Between Dictatorship and Democracy: Russian Postcommunist Political Reform (2004); with James Goldgeier, Power and Purpose: American Policy toward Russia after the Cold War, (2003); with Timothy Colton, Popular Choice and Managed Democracy: The Russian Elections of 1999 and 2000 (Brookings Institution Press, 2003); Russia’s Unfinished Revolution: Political Change from Gorbachev to Putin (2001); Russia's 1996 Presidential Election: The End of Bi-Polar Politics (1997); with Tova Perlmutter, eds., Privatization, Conversion and Enterprise Reform in Russia (1995); Post-Communist Politics: Democratic Prospects in Russia and Eastern Europe (1993); and, with Sergei Markov, The Troubled Birth of Russian Democracy: Political Parties, Programs and Profiles (1993). His articles have appeared in Constitutional Political Economy, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, International Organization, International Security, Journal of Democracy, Political Science Quarterly, Post-Soviet Affairs, and World Politics. His op-eds have appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Politico, Time, and the Weekly Standard. Dr. McFaul was born and raised in Montana. He received his BA in international relations and Slavic languages and his MA in Soviet and East European studies from Stanford University in 1986.  He was awarded a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford where he completed his D.Phil in international relations in 1991. His research papers are available at the Hoover Institution Archives.

Russell A. Berman

Russell A. Berman, the Walter A. Haas Professor in the Humanities at Stanford University, is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and a co-chair of The Working Group on the Middle East and the Islamic World. At Stanford, he is a member of both the Department of German Studies and the Department of Comparative Literature at Stanford, and he specializes on politics and culture in Europe as well as in the Middle East. He has served in numerous administrative positions at Stanford, including as chair of the Senate of the Academic Council. He is a member of the National Humanities Council and, during the Trump administration, served as a Senior Advisor on the Policy Planning Staff of the State Department. He is the author of numerous articles and books including Enlightenment or Empire: Colonial Discourse in German Culture (1998) and The Rise of the Modern German Novel: Crisis and Charisma (1986), both of which won the Outstanding Book Award of the German Studies Association (in 2000 and 1987, respectively). Hoover Institution Press published his books In Retreat: America's Withdrawal from the Middle East (2014), Freedom or Terror: Europe Faces Jihad (2010), and Anti-Americanism in Europe: A Cultural Problem (2004). His other books include Fiction Sets You Free: Literature, Liberty, and Western Culture (2007), Cultural Studies of Modern Germany: Representation and Nationhood (1993), Modern Culture and Critical Theory: Art, Politics, and the Legacy of the Frankfurt School (1989), and Between Fontane and Tucholsky: Literary Criticism and the Public Sphere in Wilhelmine Germany (1983). He has published numerous articles in the Hoover Digest, Defining Ideas, and Advancing a Free Society as well as in The Caravan, the publication of the Middle East Working Group. Berman has received many honors and awards including a Mellon Faculty Fellowship at Harvard University (1982–83), an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship (1988–89), and the Bundesverdienstkreuz of the Federal Republic of Germany (1997). Berman received his BA in 1972 from Harvard and his doctorate from Washington University in 1979.

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Political topics

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The European Parliament plays an important role in EU law-making and key political decisions. The European heads of state and governments, led by the President of the European Council, adopt a Strategic Agenda every five years. This is an expression of the medium to long-term priorities of the EU and its member states and a response to current crises and political upheavals. These topics are therefore expected to play an important role, especially in the upcoming European elections, and the campaigns will largely be focused on them. Four topics are currently taking centre stage:

The first is the Union's highly controversial climate and energy policy. While the 2019 European elections were still perceived as "climate elections" and flagship projects such as the European Green Deal were central cornerstones of the political discourse, attention shifted first to the Covid-19 pandemic and how to combat it effectively, and then to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. This issue is closely linked to the future of European energy security, given the energy dependency on hostile actors such as Russia. The effects of this dependency have become painfully apparent, and there are continuing challenges in the expansion of renewable energies across Europe. Secondly, not only the Russian war of aggression and the Covid-19 pandemic, but also the increasing loss of competitiveness to China and the US have highlighted the need to protect the European economy and competitiveness more effectively and more strongly than before. A key point of discussion during the elections and for the Strategic Agenda will therefore be which instruments and how much joint funding should be used to strengthen the EU economy.

A third focal point is European asylum and migration policy. Shortly before the elections, after years of negotiations, the Council and the Parliament adopted the reform of the "Common European Asylum System". The question now is how to implement the reforms and whether they are on the right track. At the same time, the treatment and control of illegal migration remains highly controversial in many member states.

Finally, the question of how to organise European security and assert common interests in the world has come to the fore in the wake of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The war in Gaza, on which the EU states have very different positions, is also challenging the Union. In addition, the uncertain future of US support and the military threat perceived by many Central and Eastern European states from Russia have intensified the debate about whether and how European states should work more closely together militarily - in the EU, NATO and/or within groups.

Beyond the elections, recent SWP publications on these four topics can be found here:

Publications

Climate an energy, migration and asylum, economy, resilience and competitiveness, foreign, security and defence policy.

• Felix Schenuit
• Martin Birk Rasmussen

The path for permanent carbon removals in the EU must now be set

• Oliver Geden
• Brigitte Knopf

Benefits and Pitfalls of an EU Emissions Budget Approach

doi:10.18449/2023C34

• Download (PDF) | 187 KB
• Download (EPUB) | 631 KB
• Download (Kindle/Mobi) | 906 KB
• Miranda Böttcher
• Gerrit Hansen

The High Seas Treaty: A new hub for global ocean governance

The United Nations has adopted a treaty to protect the high seas. To leverage the potential of the new “High Seas Treaty” as a global hub for ocean governance, the EU and Germany should start planning now how to engage strategically within this forum, argue Miranda Boettcher and Gerrit Hansen.

mCDR Foresight Scenarios: Policy Frameworks for Marine Carbon-Dioxide Removal in 2040

• Download (PDF) | 2.9 MB

Into the Blue: The Role of the Ocean in Climate Policy

Europe needs to clarify the balance between protection and use

doi:10.18449/2023C12

• Download (PDF) | 316 KB
• Download (EPUB) | 1.1 MB
• Download (Kindle/Mobi) | 2.8 MB
• Marian Feist

Climate Negotiations in Times of Multiple Crises

Credibility and trust in international climate politics after COP 27

doi:10.18449/2023C10

• Download (PDF) | 186 KB
• Download (EPUB) | 633 KB
• Download (Kindle/Mobi) | 917 KB
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• Steffen Angenendt
• Nadine Biehler
• Raphael Bossong

The Externalisation of European Refugee Protection

A Legal, Practical and Political Assessment of Current Proposals

doi:10.18449/2024C13

• Download (PDF) | 227 KB
• Download (EPUB) | 647 KB
• Download (Kindle/Mobi) | 957 KB

Maintaining Mobility for Those Fleeing the War in Ukraine

From Short-term Protection to Longer-term Perspectives

doi:10.18449/2022C26

• Download (PDF) | 1.3 MB
• Download (EPUB) | 639 KB
• Download (Kindle/Mobi) | 935 KB
• Fernanda Cimini
• Michael Bayerlein
• Pedro Alejandro Villarreal Lizárraga
• Franziska Schwebel

Exploring New Interregional Opportuni­ties for Pharmaceutical Supply Chains

The Potential of Mercosur Countries to Advance the EU’s Global Health Strategy

doi:10.18449/2024C05

• Download (PDF) | 418 KB
• Download (Kindle/Mobi) | 3.2 MB
• Paweł Tokarski

The Euro in a World of Dollar Dominance

Between Strategic Autonomy and Structural Weakness

doi:10.18449/2024RP02

• Download (PDF) | 942 KB
• Download (EPUB) | 1.4 MB
• Download (Kindle/Mobi) | 3.3 MB

Global Health Governance and Geopolitics

How Germany Can Contribute to a New Global Health Architecture after Covid-19 Amid Growing Geopolitical Tensions

doi:10.18449/2023C57

• Download (PDF) | 183 KB
• Download (EPUB) | 627 KB
• Download (Kindle/Mobi) | 897 KB

Pandemic accord: An obligation to share the necessary medical goods

The main point of contention in the negotiations on the pandemic accord is the fair distribution of medical supplies. Resolving it requires an unconditional obligation to share medical countermeasures, say Michael Bayerlein, Pedro A. Villarreal and Fernanda Cimini.

• Bettina Rudloff
• Tobias Stoll

EU-Mercosur Agreement: The EU must overcome its trade impasse

It could become the world’s largest free trade area. As a condition for the EU’s unilateral requirements, the Mercosur countries are now demanding cooperation and trade benefits – rightly so, and it will set an example for other agreements, say Bettina Rudloff and Tobias Stoll.

The International Role of the Euro Remains Stable – but It Needs More Attention

Despite the war in Ukraine and high inflation, the role of the euro in the global economy remained stable in 2022. The problems in strengthening its international role reflect the obstacles to further EU economic integration, says Paweł Tokarski.

• Annegret Bendiek
• Camille Borrett
• Paul Bochtler

Taming National Interests within the CFSP

Europe’s Cyber Foreign and Security Policy as a Test Run

doi:10.18449/2024C19

• Download (PDF) | 629 KB
• Download (Kindle/Mobi) | 4.2 MB

Shifting Paradigms in Europe’s Approach to Cyber Defence

Ambitions to Disrupt Malicious Cyber Activity Need to Protect Norms as Well as Networks

doi:10.18449/2023C48

• Download (PDF) | 228 KB

Majority Voting on Foreign Policy Decisions: A transitional approach needs parliamentary oversight

 A group of EU member states want to change from unanimity to qualified majority voting in the Common Foreign and Security Policy. A more efficient CFSP should be implemented in a step-by-step approach overseen by the European Parliament, argues Annegret Bendiek.

• Mika Kerttunen

The Absolute Ideal: Military Cyber Capabilities in War and Society

• Download (PDF) | 1.5 MB
• Ronja Kempin

A Geopolitical Caesura: Rethinking the Future of European Security

• Nicolai von Ondarza
• Marco Overhaus

Rethinking Strategic Sovereignty

Narratives and Priorities for Europe after Russia’s Attack on Ukraine

doi:10.18449/2022C31

• Download (EPUB) | 640 KB

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Foreign Affairs and International Topics

Foreign affairs is a key issue in United States history. The Department of State is designated to lead in the overall direction, coordination, and supervision of American foreign policy and foreign relations, but records relating to your topic might be found among the files of other agencies, too. Since World War II, a community of agencies has evolved to deal specifically with foreign policy issues. In addition, many other agencies have taken on important roles in American national security affairs. The subject and focus of your research will determine the most appropriate records for you to use.

Much policy development takes place in the White House and is documented in the files of the Presidents and their extended staffs. The records and files of all Presidents since Herbert Hoover are located in the Presidential Libraries operated by the National Archives and Records Administration. In addition to White House files, the Libraries hold the files of the National Security Council and its staff and other high-level organizations.

Congress also has a role in American foreign policy. The Senate provides advice and consent to all treaties, and many committees have oversight on issues relating to foreign affairs. Of most importance are the records of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The work of other committees also may touch on foreign relations matters and Congress has established numerous temporary committees and sub-committees to study special issues and matters relating to U.S. foreign affairs.

As you begin preparations for conducting research at the National Archives, we suggest you consult this FAQ on how to make your research visit more successful.

This reference paper on Getting Started provides information on the process for requesting records for use in the Research Room and the steps necessary to locate the information needed to prepare a pull slip.

This reference paper on Citing the Records contains useful guidance.

Links to more detailed information are found below.

Assistance from NARA Staff

As noted in the FAQ, communicating with the Reference Staff at the National Archives before you visit is likely to improve the results of your research experience. This is especially true in the following instances:

• if the records are dated from the 1960s and later
• if you are dealing with agencies involved with foreign affairs, intelligence, and law enforcement
• if you do not have precise file number citations to the files of various agencies or National Archives record group and entry numbers
• or if you are unsure that records exist

While the reference staff cannot undertake your research for you, they can do some preliminary work in order to identify the file categories in the Department of State’s central files likely to contain documentation of interest or locate other series with pertinent records. Doing that work takes time, however. It cannot be done effectively while you are waiting in the Research Room.

Reference staff is available at the National Archives at College Park Research Room from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, except legal holidays. For those wanting a more in-depth explanation of the records or with difficult or advanced research projects, a specialist in foreign affairs records is available for consultation. The specialist is in the National Archives at College Park Textual Research Room every Tuesday morning from 9AM to 10AM, and by request at other times subject to availability, and can answer questions about the organization and content of the records and help you plan a research strategy.

How to Approach Doing Research in Foreign Affairs Records

Here are some very basic hints on how to approach undertaking research in the records of the foreign affairs agencies. This guidance should be most helpful to novice researchers but can help those with more experience undertaking new avenues of research or working with different records for the first time.

Begin with FRUS

For most topics relating to U.S. foreign policy since 1861, research should begin with a review of the pertinent volumes of the publication Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS). In addition to providing the text of the most important documents on U.S. foreign policy, FRUS also includes source citations and in this way serves as a finding aid to the records on U.S. foreign policy.

Be sure to record the sources cited in FRUS, note them in your correspondence with the National Archives, and bring them with you when you visit the National Archives. Please remember that given the mandate of the series, it does not include documents on every topic in the records and thus it is likely that there are records on more topics than in the publication.

The Central Files of the Department of State

While the subject of your research will dictate the records of most use in your research, for most topics involving U.S. policies and actions, the most important files of the Department of State are those that constitute the central files . The central files are the most inclusive and authoritative repository of reporting by American diplomatic and consular posts overseas and include much additional documentation on policy-making and implementation. There is at least some documentation in the Department’s central files on almost all topics relating to U.S. foreign policy and relations with other countries. The arrangement of the central files has changed over time. It is important to understand those changes in order to use the records effectively.

The documents in the central files (and the markings on them) will indicate the bureaus and offices in the Department that dealt with the pertinent issues and which Foreign Service posts and other agencies in the Government were involved, thus suggesting other avenues of research.

Beyond the Central Files/Other Agencies

After exhausting the sources found in the central files, you can expand your research to decentralized files of the Department indicated by the central files documentation, the records of Foreign Service Posts involved with the issue, and to other specialized files from the Department.

For many topics, the records of the various specialized foreign affairs agencies established during World War I , World War II , and the Cold War will include more documentation and details about policymaking and activities at the operational level for the specialized programs those agencies handled. In some cases, those operational records will be the focus of in-depth research. Most of those agencies did not have centralized recordkeeping, so you will have to familiarize yourself with the organization of the agency in question and the functions and responsibilities of each office in order to determine where to focus your research.

Our Foreign Affairs Web Pages

To assist with preparing for a research visit, the National Archives has prepared this set of web pages. Here, you will find an explanation of the records of the Department of State and related foreign affairs agencies, including those of a temporary nature established during World War I and World War II and the more permanent agencies created during the Cold War. These pages include information on the following:

Department of State

• Central Files
• Decentralized Files
• Foreign Service Posts
• International Conferences, Commissions, and Expositions
• Boundary and Claims Commissions and Arbitrations
• Interdepartmental and Intradepartmental Committees

World War I Special Agencies

• Committee on Public Information
• War Trade Board
• American Commission to Negotiate Peace

World War II and Aftermath Records

• Foreign Economic Administration
• Office of War Information
• Office of Inter-American Affairs
• American Commission for the Protection and Salvage of Historic Monuments in War Areas
• Philippine War Damage Commission
• Displaced Persons Commission

Cold War Agencies

• Agency for International Development
• U.S. Information Agency
• U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
• Overseas Private Investment Corporation
• U.S. High Commissioner for Germany
• U.S. Foreign Assistance Agencies, 1947-1961
• Trade and Development Agency
• Peace Corps
• Genealogical Records

Department of State Publications and Websites

Other agencies relating to foreign affairs, other web pages.

The web pages listed below ink to sites that include information about records of interest to the foreign affairs researcher:

NARA Resources

Non-nara resources.

• Department of State Agency Records
• WWI Related Records
• WWII Related Records
• Cold War Related Records
• Using Dept. of State Publications and Websites
• Other Agencies
• Presidential Materials
• Congressional Records
• Intelligence Community
• Other Foreign Affairs Resources at NARA

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China’s Approach to Foreign Policy Gets Largely Negative Reviews in 24-Country Survey

Still, views of china – and its soft power – are more positive in middle-income countries, table of contents.

• Road map to the report
• How views of China have changed in recent years
• Views of China by age group
• How views of China’s international behavior have changed over time
• Most say China does not contribute to world peace and stability
• China seen as interventionist
• How opinions about which country is the world’s top economy have changed in recent years
• Many who see China as the world’s leading economic power also see it as a good thing
• Chinese investment seen as an economic benefit
• How views of Chinese soft power vary by age
• Views of Chinese technology
• How confidence in Xi has changed over time
• How confidence in Xi varies by age
• Acknowledgments
• Methodology

This Pew Research Center analysis focuses on public opinion of China and President Xi Jinping in 24 countries in North America, Europe, the Middle East, the Asia-Pacific region, sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. The report explores views of China’s role in the world, including as an economic power, and perceptions of Chinese soft power. This is the first year since 2019 that the Global Attitudes Survey has included countries from Africa and Latin America, which were not included more recently due to the coronavirus outbreak .

For non-U.S. data, this report draws on nationally representative surveys of 27,285 adults conducted from Feb. 20 to May 22, 2023. All surveys were conducted over the phone with adults in Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Surveys were conducted face to face in Argentina, Brazil, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland and South Africa. In Australia, we used a mixed-mode probability-based online panel.

In the United States, we surveyed 3,576 U.S. adults from March 20 to 26, 2023. Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

Here are the questions used for the report , along with responses, and the survey methodology .

Views of China are broadly negative across 24 countries in a new Pew Research Center survey: A median of 67% of adults express unfavorable views of the country, while 28% have a favorable opinion.

Negative views extend to evaluations of China’s international actions. Despite several high-profile diplomatic initiatives by Beijing over the past year – such as brokering a peace deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran and issuing a 12-point proposal for the end of violence in Ukraine – a median of 71% think China does not contribute to global peace and stability.

Most people also think China does not take into account the interests of other countries in its foreign policy (76%) and a median of 57% say China interferes in the affairs of other nations a great deal or fair amount.

Still, attitudes toward China are somewhat rosier in middle-income than high-income countries. Across eight middle-income countries – places Pew Research Center has not surveyed since 2019 due to the challenges of conducting face-to-face interviews during the pandemic – India stands out as the only middle-income country in which a majority has unfavorable views of China. And in three middle-income countries – Kenya, Mexico and Nigeria – a majority even gives China a positive rating.

Fewer in these middle-income countries also criticize China’s global behavior, and many more see China’s “soft power” appeal. Indeed, publics in these middle-income countries offer relatively favorable ratings for China’s entertainment products, its universities and its standard of living – while few in most high-income countries agree.

Across all 24 countries surveyed, however, there is more agreement about China’s technology. A median of 69% describe China’s technological achievements as the best or above average relative to other wealthy nations, with similar shares in high- and middle-income countries. A median of 54% also see China’s military as among the best in the world.

But views of the country as the world’s foremost economic power have faltered somewhat in recent years. More people now name the United States as the top economic power than China (a median of 42% vs. 33%, respectively). Much of this shift has come in high-income countries, where the share naming China has fallen in nearly every surveyed country – including by double digits in Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden.

In the U.S., where equal shares (43%) called China and the U.S. the world’s leading economic power in 2022, views have shifted significantly over the past year ; now, Americans are 10 percentage points more likely to name the U.S. than China (48% vs. 38%). (For more on American views of China, read “ Americans are Critical of China’s Global Role – as Well as Its Relationship With Russia ”.)

These findings come from a new Pew Research Center survey conducted from Feb. 20 to May 22, 2023, among more than 30,000 people in 24 countries. Below are some of the other findings regarding China’s overall image, views of Chinese foreign policy, ratings of President Xi Jinping, opinions about Chinese soft power and its economic power.

Overall ratings for China

Across many high-income countries surveyed, which are in North America, Western Europe and parts of the Asia-Pacific region, a large majority has unfavorable views of China, as has been the case for multiple years . Indeed, in almost every high-income country surveyed, negative views currently stand at or near historic highs. In most countries, this does not reflect a significant increase over last year; rather, negative views have simply remained high in recent years. One notable exception is Poland, where negative views have increased 12 points during a period of strained bilateral relations , perhaps related to China’s handling of the war in Ukraine.

Views of China in middle-income countries are relatively more positive. Still, negative ratings in most of these countries have also grown since the countries were last surveyed, pre-pandemic. In South Africa and Mexico, for example, opinions have turned somewhat more negative since 2019, and in Argentina, Brazil and India, negative views have even reached historic highs. In India, military conflicts along a contested border may have contributed to the 21 percentage point increase in unfavorable opinion.

China’s role on the world stage

Majorities in most countries do not think China takes into account the interests of countries like theirs. In Canada, France, Israel, Spain and Sweden, around half or more say China doesn’t consider them at all . Only in the three sub-Saharan African countries surveyed, as well as in Indonesia, does around half or more of the public feel like China listens to their country.

A median of 71% also think China does little or nothing at all to contribute to global peace and stability, compared with a median of 23% who say it is doing a great deal or a fair amount. Australians, Canadians, Indians, Israelis and South Koreans are particularly likely to say China is doing nothing at all to help with global peace and stability.

Most also see China as an interventionist power. A median of 57% say China does interfere a great deal or a fair amount in the affairs of other countries, while a median of 35% say it does not do so much or at all. Around seven-in-ten or more in Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Spain and the U.S. see China getting involved in the affairs of other countries – and many of these places also stood out for the high share who said China’s involvement in domestic politics in their own country was a very serious problem in a 2022 Pew Research Center survey .

But the country which is most likely to see China interfering in the affairs of other countries in this year’s survey is Italy (82%). Italy, which was the only G7 country to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) , was debating leaving the initiative at the time that the survey was conducted, but treading delicately for fear of stoking possible Chinese retribution against Italian businesses.

Attitudes toward Xi

Few in the 24 countries surveyed have confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping to do the right thing regarding world affairs. Across most of Western Europe, the U.S., Canada and much of the Asia-Pacific region, around half in each country say they have no confidence in him at all . Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa stand out as the only countries where a majority or plurality have confidence in his leadership.

Confidence in Xi is closely related to views of China more broadly. In each country surveyed people with unfavorable views of China are more likely to have little confidence in the Chinese president, and vice versa.

Chinese soft power

When it comes to elements often considered part of a country’s “soft power,” China’s technological achievements receive high marks, though fewer say the same about its universities, entertainment products or standard of living.

In fact, outside of South Korea, nearly half or more in every country say Chinese technological advancements are the best in the world or above average relative to other wealthy nations. And in many of the middle-income countries, around four-in-ten call Chinese technology the best in the world.

Middle-income countries – many of which are increasingly reliant on Chinese companies like Huawei for components of their 4G and 5G systems – were also asked specifically about technology such as phones, tablets or computers made by Chinese companies. Across these eight countries, there is a relatively widespread sense that these products are well-made. Middle-income publics are more divided when it comes to their cost: A median of 50% describe them as inexpensive, while 44% call them costly.

They are also somewhat divided when it comes to whether technological products made by Chinese companies protect people’s personal data (a median of 45%) or make their data unsafe (40%). (Americans were asked a different but related question about Chinese social media companies; large majorities have little confidence that they will use personal information responsibly or follow privacy policies.)

In every country, at least a plurality – and often a majority – also see China’s “hard power,” its military, as one of the best in the world or above average.

Chinese economic power

Fewer name China as the world’s leading economic power than the U.S. (a median of 33% vs. 42%). And, in many countries, the share naming China as the world’s leading economy has gone down in recent years.

Interestingly, China’s image as an economic superpower is stronger in high-income countries than middle-income ones. Italy, for example, is the only country where a majority (55%) calls China the leading economic power.

Still, people in middle-income countries do recognize economic benefits from their relations with China. A different survey question, asked only in these countries, finds that around half or more in six middle-income countries say their nation’s economy has benefited a great deal or a fair amount from Chinese investment. In Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, around seven-in-ten or more say this.

In the U.S., Americans were also asked to name the country which poses the top threat to the U.S. Not only was China the top answer, by far, but Americans see it as both an economic and a national security threat – in sharp contrast to Russia, which is primarily seen as a security threat. To read more about this related analysis, see “ Americans name China as the top threat facing the U.S. ”

The chapters that follow discuss these findings and others in more detail:

• Chapter 1 looks at overall opinion of China across the countries surveyed, including how perceptions have shifted over the years
• Chapter 2 considers the negative and positive roles China plays in international affairs
• Chapter 3 reviews global public opinion about which country is the world’s leading economic power
• Chapter 4 explores perceptions of Chinese soft power, summarizing how people across 24 countries rate China compared with other wealthy nations
• Chapter 5 examines confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping to do the right thing in world affairs

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ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER  Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of  The Pew Charitable Trusts .

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