United States Foreign Policymaking: Institutions and the Process

Muhammad Usman Amin Siddiqi; Dr. Khalid Manzoor Butt

The Journal of Political Science, Vol # 31, Issue # 1
United States Foreign Policymaking: Institutions and the Process

United States Foreign Policymaking: Institutions and the Process

Muhammad Usman Amin Siddiqi/
Dr. Khalid Manzoor Butt/
November 20, 2013

Keywords

Foreign policy making, US presidency, US Congress, National Security Council, National Economic Council, Foreign Policymaking

Abstract

Process helps determine substance. Understanding the dynamics of foreign policymaking would enable us to make predictions as to what is most likely to be decided in a particular set of circumstances. Foreign policy is not of government, it is of the state; and therefore, involves other institutions and agencies than the executive branch, or broadly speaking, the government. That makes it an intricate task to analyze the foreign policymaking process of any country in general and that of the US in particular because of the complexity of its governmental machinery, owing to the concept of limited government through separation of powers and checks and balances. Complexity of the governmental machinery not only makes it difficult to locate the origin of a policy directive but also makes its passage lengthy and complicated. No matter how a particular policy gets originated, in order to get implemented, it has to make its way through various institutions and agencies of foreign policymaking, each of which has its own motives, mindset, and most importantly, degree of authority. In order to make this process comprehendible, this paper evaluates the role of different institutions in foreign policymaking, explains different models of foreign policymaking, and summarizes the evolution of the patterns of foreign policymaking in the US

How to cite

Siddiqi, M. U. A., & Butt, D. K. M. (2022). United States Foreign Policymaking: Institutions and the Process. The Journal of Political Science, 31(1), 43–68. http://jps.gcu.edu.pk/website/journal/article/6253de0772ce8/page

Retrieved from http://jps.gcu.edu.pk/website/journal/article/6253de0772ce8/page

More citation formats

ACM SIG Proceedings

[1]Siddiqi, M.U.A. and Butt, D.K.M. 2022. United States Foreign Policymaking: Institutions and the Process. The Journal of Political Science. 31, 1 (Apr. 2022), 43–68.

ACS Nano

(1)Siddiqi, M. U. A.; Butt, D. K. M. United States Foreign Policymaking: Institutions and the Process. The Journal of Political Science 2022, 31 (1), 43–68.

ABNT

SIDDIQI, Muhammad Usman Amin; BUTT, Dr. Khalid Manzoor. United States Foreign Policymaking: Institutions and the Process. The Journal of Political Science, v. 31, n. 1, p. 43–68, 11 Apr.2022.

Chicago (author-date)

Harvard (Cite Them Right)

Siddiqi, M.U.A. and Butt, D.K.M. (2022) “United States Foreign Policymaking: Institutions and the Process”, The Journal of Political Science, 31(1), pp. 43–68. Available at: http://jps.gcu.edu.pk/website/journal/article/6253de0772ce8/page (Accessed: 9 June 2026).

IEEE

[1]M. U. A. Siddiqi and D. K. M. Butt, “United States Foreign Policymaking: Institutions and the Process”, The Journal of Political Science, vol. 31, no. 1, pp. 43–68, Apr. 2022, Accessed: June 09, 2026. [Online]. Available: http://jps.gcu.edu.pk/website/journal/article/6253de0772ce8/page

MLA

Siddiqi, Muhammad Usman Amin, and Dr. Khalid Manzoor Butt. “United States Foreign Policymaking: Institutions and the Process”. The Journal of Political Science, vols. 31, no. 1, Apr. 2022, pp. 43–68, http://jps.gcu.edu.pk/website/journal/article/6253de0772ce8/page.

Turabian (full note bibliography)

Siddiqi, Muhammad Usman Amin, and Dr. Khalid Manzoor Butt. “United States Foreign Policymaking: Institutions and the Process”. The Journal of Political Science 31, no. 1 (April 11, 2022): 43–68. Accessed June 9, 2026. http://jps.gcu.edu.pk/website/journal/article/6253de0772ce8/page.

Vancouver

1.Siddiqi MUA, Butt DKM. United States Foreign Policymaking: Institutions and the Process. The Journal of Political Science [Internet]. 2022 Apr. 11 [cited 2026 June 9];31(1):43–68. Available from: http://jps.gcu.edu.pk/website/journal/article/6253de0772ce8/page

AMA

1.Siddiqi MUA, Butt DKM. United States Foreign Policymaking: Institutions and the Process. The Journal of Political Science. 2022;31(1):43–68. Accessed June 9, 2026. http://jps.gcu.edu.pk/website/journal/article/6253de0772ce8/page

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