American Foreign Policy Since World War II

By John W. Spanier, Steven W. Hook, John Spanier, et al.

Book Overview

Steven Hook and John Spanier's classic text, American Foreign Policy Since World War II, celebrates its Twentieth Edition. It has remained the standard for guiding students through the complexities of American foreign policy by showing how recent developments confirm the book's overarching theme--that there is an American "style" of foreign policy imbued with a distinct sense of national exceptionalism. Giving students important historical context, the book allows them to grasp the functions and frequent dysfunctions of the nation's evolving foreign policy agenda. In this new edition, chapters covering the end of the Cold War have been combined and streamlined, making room for a new chapter that examines the aftershocks of the Arab Spring, political breakdowns in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the rise of the Islamic State. The final chapter considers the revival of power politics in world politics, with Russia and China stepping up their attempts to weaken the United States and create a multipolar world. The book ends by reconsidering America's distinctive style of foreign policy and its resilience amid such turbulence since World War II.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 148336853X
• ISBN13: 9781483368535
• Release Date: April 2015
• Publisher: CQ Press
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.8" x 0.8" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Great course book on American foreign policy

I had to buy this book for one of my classes in college. Usually textbooks are dry, boring, and not all that informative. However, I really enjoyed reading this and I have kept ahold of it because it contains a great deal of information. It's interesting, never really all that dry and boring, and it will help any college student who is taking a class on international relations and U.S. foreign policy. If your professor hasn't already recommended this, I highly recommend it. It's also a great book for anyone who is a history buff or just interested in international relations and foreign policy.

The Ultimate Guide to US Foreign Policy

Now in its 16th edition, American Foreign Policy Since World War II has become one of the most respected guides on the ins and outs US foreign engagement in the 20th century. Combining theory and insight to this historical perspective, Hook and Spanier have created a very thorough book that takes a balanced look at both the domestic and international issues that have shaped US foreign policy. This book is comprehensive and comprehensible, making it perfect as leisure reading for those interested in international politics or a text for an international relations course. The fourteen chapters: 1. The American Approach to Foreign Policy 2. From World War to Cold War 3. Containment: From Theory to Practice 4. Developing Countries in the Crossfire 5. Vietnam and the Cost of Containment 6. The Era of Superpower Detente 7. Jimmy Carter and World-Order Politics 8. The Revival of Superpower Confrontation 9. The End of the Cold War 10. America's "Unipolar Moment" 11. Old Tensions in a New Order 12. The Shifting European Landscape 13. America under Fire 14. A World of Trouble are useful individually to address a specific issue, region, or time period, and as a set to provide a broad overview.

Building Blocks

Steven W. Hook and John Spanier's book on American foreign policy since WWII is a great introduction for those seeking a detailed yet concise elucidation. The authors exploit all levels of analysis (unit, state, and system), and posit a "peculiar national style" and a degree of continuity as underlying the nature of US foreign policy since 1945. Despite the lucanae bound to be found in a wide-ranging account, Hook and Spanier's book is still an excellent building block for understanding post-WWII US foreign policy as well as basic international relations' theory.