The State of the Art in Foreign Policy Analysis: An Introduction

Abstract

This introductory article outlines the purpose and scope of a special issue dedicated to assessing the current state of Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA). We highlight FPA’s evolution as a subfield within International Relations, particularly emphasizing its distinctive focus on agency and the interplay between domestic and international factors in shaping foreign policy. We also introduce the special issue’s contributions to the literature from emerging and established scholars in exploring theoretical, methodological, and empirical innovations in FPA. We conclude that by embracing methodological pluralism and diverse units of analysis, the special issue showcases how FPA continues to enrich our understanding of international politics while providing ideas for promising directions for future research.