U.S. foreign policy terminology

blowbacks

unexpected negative consequences of a country’s own foreign actions

globalization

how countries become more connected through trade, technology, and culture

hemegon

a powerful country that dominates (thống trị) others

imperial overstretch

when a country becomes too big or involved globally and can’t support its commitments (phát triển quá nhanh và ko thể đáp ứng được cam kết của mình)

long cycle theory

the idea that world powers rise and fall in long cycles over hundred years (smaller countries benefit from the leader countries such as technology, economic and military)

national style

a country’s unique habits, culture, and attitudes that shape how it approaches foreign policy

primacy

being the most powerful country in the world

soft power

influence gained through culture, ideas, and attraction rather than military force

unipolar

a world with only one superpower

war on terror

U.S. led global campaign after 11/9 event to fight terrorist groups

Arab Spring

2011 protests across the Arab world demanding democracy and reform

bipolar

a world dominated by two superpowers (for example

Bretton Woods agreements

Post - WWII system creating the World Bank/IMF to stabilize the global economy

Bush Doctrine

George W.Bush’s policy allowing the U.S. to strike first to prevent terrorist threats

Cold War

intense political rivalry (not direct war) between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, 1947-1991

collective security

countries agree to defend each other if any one of them is attacked

containment

strategy to stop the spread of communism (chủ nghĩa cộng sản)

Cuban missile crisis

1962 standoff between the U.S. and USSR during Cold War

détente

period of easing tensions between the U.S. and USSR during the Cold War

empire

a country controlling many territories or nations

exceptionalism

belief that the U.S. is unique with a special mission in the world

failed states

countries unable to control their territory or support their citizens

glasnost

Soviet policy of openness and transparency under Gorbachev

gunboat diplomacy

using military threats to influence other countries

Iron Curtain

symbolic divide between communist East Europe and democratic West Europe

Kellogg-Briand Pact

1928 treaty trying to outlaw war

League of Nations

international organization formed after WWI to keep peace (failed, tiền nhiệm là UN)

lend-lease program

U.S. aid to Allies (viện trợ Đồng minh) during WWII by lending weapons/supplies

liberal internationalism

belief that the U.S. should spread democracy and cooperate through institutions

manifest destiny

belief that America was meant to expand across North America

Marshall Plan

U.S. economic aid to rebuild Europe after WWII

Monroe Doctrine

U.S. warning telling Europe not to interfere in the Western Hemisphere

multipolar

a world with several major powers

national security

protecting a country from threats

national security adviser

top presidential adviser on security/foreign issues

New Lock

Eisenhower’s Cold War strategy emphasizing nuclear weapons over conventional forces (hình thức thông thường)

new world order

Post-Cold War vision of a peaceful, cooperative world led by the U.S.

Open Door policy

U.S. policy demanding equal trading rights in China

Operation Desert Storm

1991 U.S. led war to push Iraq out of Kuwait

Operational Iraqi Freedom

2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein

perestroika

Soviet economic reforms under Gorbachev

power politics

foreign policy based on strength and competition, not cooperation

Roosevelt Corollary

U.S. claim that it could police Latin American

surge strategy

sending extra U.S. troops to stabilize Iraq (2007)

Truman Doctrine

U.S. promise to support countries fighting communism

unilateralism

acting alone without other countries’s support

Vietnam syndrome

U.S. fear of military intervention after Vietnam War failures

anarchy

in international relations, a world with no central authority (no world government)

balance of power

keeping countries’s power levels equal so no one dominates

belief systems

deep-held views leaders use to interpret the world

bounded rationality

leaders make decisions with limited time and information

bureaucratic politics

government agencies competing with each other for influence

causal beliefs

beliefs about what causes what (e.g

cognitive psychology

study of how mental processes affect decisions

constructivism

theory world politics is shaped by ideas, identities and norms not just power

democratic peace

theory that democracies rarely fight each other

geopolitics

how geography shapes political power

global governance

international cooperation to manage problems like climate or trade

groupthink

when groups make bad decisions because everyone tries to agree

identity

how a country sees itself (e.g

interdependence

countries rely on each other economically and politically

iron triangle

alliance (liên minh) among Congress, interest groups, and government agencies

issue network

a looser, more fluid group of actors influencing a policy area

levels of analysis

different ways to study foreign policy

military-industrial complex

alliance between the military and industry that builds weapons

national interests

what a county needs to survive and grow

operational code

a leader’s personal worldview about politics and power

organizational culture

shared values and habits inside an organization

organizational process

how agencies follow routines (SOPs) to make decision

political psychology

how emotions, personality, and biases affect leaders

principled beliefs

core values about what is right and wrong

prospect theory

people take more risks when they fear losses

rational actors

idea that leaders calculate costs benefits to choose the best outcome

rational choice

approach saying decisions follow logical, goal-seeking behavior

security community

group of countries so peaceful they no longer expect war between them

security dilemma

when one country arms itself for safety and others feel threatened

sovereignty

a state’s right to govern itself without outside interference

standard operating procedures (SOPs)

routine rules organizations follow

structural realism

theory that power and the international system shape state behavior

transnational civil society

global networks of NGOs, activists and private groups

Treaty of Westphalia

1648, treaty that created the modern system of sovereign states

tweets

social media messages, important because leaders now use them foreign policy

two-level game

leaders must balance international negotiations and domestic politics

unitary actors

seeing countries as single decision-making units (ignoring internal differences)

advisory system

the group of aides and experts who help the president make decisions

bully pulpit

the president’s ability to influence public opinion by speaking out

codetermination

when Congress and the president share authority in foreign policy

collegial model

a teamwork-based decision style where advisers collaborate and discuss options together

competitive model

a style where advisers compete to influence the president with different views

executive agreements

international agreements made by the president without Senate approval

formalistic model

a hierarchical (phân cấp) decision system with clear rules and gatekeepers controlling access to the president

management style

how the president organizes people, information, and decision-making

multiple advocacy

including many diverse viewpoints to avoid bias and improve decision quality

prerogative powers

extra powers presidents may use during emergencies for national security

saber rattling

threatening military force to send a political message

stewardship theory

belief that the president can do anything not explicitly forbidden by the Constitution

two presidencies

theory that presidents have more freedom in foreign policy than domestic policy

zone of twilight

gray area where it’s unclear whether the president or Congress has authority

Case-Zablocki Act

law requiring the president to inform Congress about executive agreements

constituent service

Congress members helping voters back home, often influencing foreign policy choices