Politics 272 - Trade and American Foreign Policy

Trade policy has been central to American political debates since independence. Whether free trade, fair trade, or protectionism is best for America has been hotly debated for centuries. Decisions to trade or not to trade have also long been linked to other domestic and foreign policy issues including abolitionism and the Civil War, securing allies in the Cold War, building peaceful relations with China, and cementing U.S. global leadership. This course examines the shifting coalitions arguing over U.S. trade policy, the shifting goals they seek to accomplish via U.S. trade policy, and the international effects of U.S. trade.

Prereq: POLIT-116.