Examining the past, present and future formulation and implementation of US foreign policy, this research companion provides a range of interpretations of the topic so that the reader comes away with a clear knowledge of the academic and policy debates that define the field. The volume focuses on American foreign policy from both historical and political science analytical perspectives and divides into three sections:

• The first section studies the history of US foreign policy and examines a range of approaches to, and theories on, the conduct of US foreign policy.

• Section two focuses on US foreign policy in a regional format, with coverage ranging from Latin America and Europe to the Greater Middle East and Asia.

• The final section addresses the present and future of US foreign policy, placing an emphasis on the extent to which strains of continuity and change have characterized America's approach to global affairs since the events of 9/11.

Above all, the volume is designed as a research guide that will both inform readers on the basics of US foreign policy and provide a look ahead at the means through which American policy makers will meet the future in an increasingly complex international system.