Foreign policy analysis is a field of study that focuses on the ways in which states and other international actors formulate, implement, and evaluate their foreign policies. This field seeks to understand the underlying factors that shape a country’s foreign policy, including its domestic political system, its economic interests, and its place in the international system.

Foreign policy analysts use a variety of methods to study foreign policy, including qualitative and quantitative analysis, case studies, and comparative analysis. They may focus on specific policy areas, such as trade, security, or diplomacy, or they may take a more broad-based approach that looks at a country’s overall foreign policy posture.

Foreign policy analysis also often involves the study of international relations more generally, including the ways in which states interact with one another and the impact that these interactions have on the international system as a whole. Scholars in this field may also engage with theories and concepts from other disciplines, such as political science, economics, and sociology, in order to understand the complex and multi-faceted nature of foreign policy.