United States Foreign Policy toward Africa: Incrementalism, Crisis and Change

by Peter J. Schraeder

Overview

This book offers the first comprehensive theoretical analysis of US foreign policy toward Africa in the postwar era. Peter Schraeder argues that though we often assume that US policymakers "speak with one voice," Washington's foreign policy is derived from numerous centers of power, each of which has the ability to pull policy in different directions. Drawing on over 100 interviews, and detailed case studies in Zaire, Ethiopia-Somalia, and South Africa, this book provides a unique analysis of the historical evolution of US foreign policy in the region.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521444392
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	02/03/1994
Series:	Cambridge Studies in International Relations , #31
Pages:	376
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.12(d)

Table of Contents

1. An introduction to US foreign policy toward Africa; 2. Pattern and process in US foreign policy toward Africa; 3. US foreign policy toward Zaire; 4. US foreign policy toward Ethiopia and Somalia; 5. US foreign policy toward South Africa; 6. US Africa policies in the post-Cold War era.

Editorial Reviews

"The audience for whom the book was written...should find the volume generally useful. Each group will find its extensive sources very helpful...and practitioners in the foreign policy field should find important clarifications and insights from the described role of the national bureaucracies. ... The book is well written and is accessible to bright undergraduate students." Winston E. Langley, University of Massachusetts, Boston (Book Review— source?)

"The detail of the case studies provides a fascinating glimpse into American foreign policy toward Africa since World War II, and the theoretical argument makes a contribution to explaining when the president matters, when bureaucrats matter, and when Congress matters. The overall approach of the book is highly readable and engaging and its historical and conceptual content make it well-suited for upper-divisional undergraduates and graduate seminars." Presidential Studies Quarterly

"Peter Schraeder's new analusis of American foreign policy toward Africa is a welcome addition to the literaure on American foreign relations with countires south of the Sahara and to the more general study of American foreign policy. The book's primary appeal is its extensive investigation of how bureaucratic politics affect U.S. policy toward Africa and under what conditions policy is not made as business as usual." Political Science Quarterly

"This first-rate book is aimed at both an academic audience and African readers trying to make sense of American diplomacy....the accounts are well presented and effectively illustrate the patterns and processes at the core of the analysis....An excellent text for college courses." Gail Gerhart, Foreign Affairs

"...a welcome addition to the literature....the book is based on solid research (including almost 100 interviews), and the case studies are well written and informative. After reading this book, one is left with an understanding of how negatively the Cold War affected Africa, and how the superpowers used Africa as an arena for settling global conflicts....Schraeder makes an important contribution by integrating the analysis of African international relations into a broader social scientific framework....The book is also a good place to start for readers who seek an overview of U.S. relations with Africa. Both specialists and generalists will find this a useful study." David N. Gibbs, Journal of Politics

From the Publisher