Losing an Empire, Finding a Role - British Foreign Policy Since 1945 (2017)

Informed by Winston Churchill's famous metaphor, successive British governments have shaped their foreign policy thinking around the belief that Britain's overseas interests lie in three interlocking 'circles': in Europe, in the Commonwealth, and in the 'special relationship' across the Atlantic. Recent administrations may have updated the language in terms of 'bridges', 'hubs' and 'networks', but the notion of Britain as somehow at the centre of things remains a vital idea. In this updated edition of a classic text, David Sanders and David Patrick Houghton examine British foreign policy since 1945 through the prism of these three circles. Taking account of major developments from the ending of the Cold War, through 9/11 and the so-called War on Terror, to Britain's historic decision to leave the European Union, it provides a masterly account of Britain's changing place in the world and of the policy calculations and deeper structural factors that help explain changes in strategy.
Combining chronological narrative with careful consideration of the main theories of foreign policy analysis and international relations, this book provide a reliable and comprehensive introduction to the evolution of British external policy, including economic and defence policy, in the postwar period. Characterized by its accessible style and depth of analysis, and now fully updated in line with twenty-first century developments, Losing an Empire, Finding a Role will remain an invaluable guide to British foreign policy for students of international relations or foreign policy at any level.

List of contents

Introduction
1. British Foreign Policy Traditions
2. From Potsdam To Cold War: Relations With Europe and the Superpowers, 1945-55
3. The Road To Suez: British Imperialism, 1945-56
4. The Wind of Change: The Empire Circle After 1956
5. The Search For a New Role: The European Circle After 1956
6. The Changing 'Special Relationship', 1956- 2016
7. The International Economic Dimension
8. British Defence Policy
9. The Relevance of Foreign Policy Theory
10. British Foreign Policy in the 21st Century

About the author

David Sanders is Regius Professor of Government at the University of Essex, UK.David Houghton is Professor of National Security Affairs at the US Naval War College, USA.

Summary

Informed by Winston Churchill’s famous metaphor, successive British governments have shaped their foreign policy thinking around the belief that Britain’s overseas interests lie in three interlocking ‘circles’: in Europe, in the Commonwealth, and in the ‘special relationship’ across the Atlantic. Recent administrations may have updated the language in terms of ‘bridges’, ‘hubs’ and ‘networks’, but the notion of Britain as somehow at the centre of things remains a vital idea. In this updated edition of a classic text, David Sanders and David Patrick Houghton examine British foreign policy since 1945 through the prism of these three circles. Taking account of major developments from the ending of the Cold War, through 9/11 and the so-called War on Terror, to Britain’s historic decision to leave the European Union, it provides a masterly account of Britain’s changing place in the world and of the policy calculations and deeper structural factors that help explain changes in strategy.

Combining chronological narrative with careful consideration of the main theories of foreign policy analysis and international relations, this book provide a reliable and comprehensive introduction to the evolution of British external policy, including economic and defence policy, in the postwar period. Characterized by its accessible style and depth of analysis, and now fully updated in line with 21st century developments, Losing an Empire, Finding a Role will remain an invaluable guide to British foreign policy for students of international relations or foreign policy at any level.<

New to this Edition:
- Updated coverage of events, including 'the War on Terror' and Brexit
- Reformulated analysisto cover the updates inscholarship

Product details

• Authors: David Houghton, David Patrick Houghton, Davi Sanders, David Sanders
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 31.12.2016
• No. of pages: 392
• Dimensions: 161 mm x 240 mm x 27 mm
• Weight: 754 g
• Series: Bloomsbury 3PL
• Subject: Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education