American Foreign Policy Since World War II

The classic text on American foreign policy, Hook and Spanier′s book has long set the standard in guiding students through the complexities of the field. With each new edition, the authors find that new developments in foreign policy conform to their overarching theme―that there is an American "style" of foreign policy imbued with a distinct sense of national exceptionalism. Giving students the historical context they need, the book allows them to truly grasp the functions and frequent dysfunctions of the nation′s foreign policy agenda. Students will also find abundant resources in new or updated tables, figures, photos, and maps, as well as a robust set of appendices and end-of-chapter materials, including a chronology of world events and annotated web resources.

Steven W. Hook (1959-2022) was professor of political science at Kent State University. In addition to this book, he was co-author of American Foreign Policy Since World War II (CQ Press, 2019, 21st ed., with John Spanier) and author of National Interest and Foreign Aid (Lynne Rienner, 1995). His edited books include U.S. Foreign Policy Today: American Renewal? (CQ Press, 2012, with James M. Scott), the Routledge Handbook of American Foreign Policy (Routledge Press, 2012, with Christopher M. Jones), and Democratic Peace in Theory and Practice (Kent State University Press, 2010). His journal articles have appeared in World Politics, International Studies Quarterly, Asian Survey, Foreign Policy Analysis, International Interactions, and other leading journals. Professor Hook received a BA (1982) in Journalism and Political Science from the University of Michigan and an MA (1990) and PhD (1993) in International Studies from the University of South Carolina. At Kent State, he received the university’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 2007 and served as department chair from 2008 to 2012. He was a past president of the Foreign Policy Analysis sections of the American Political Science Association and the International Studies Association.

John Spanier received his PhD from Yale University. Since joining the faculty of the University of Florida in 1957, Spanier has lectured at the U.S. State Department’s Foreign Service Institute, the Naval War College, military service academies, and several universities. Among his many other books is Games Nations Play.