Levels of Analysis
Levels of Analysis
One of the key questions in international relations and foreign policy is the question of how you
Scholars see several levels of analysis through which state behaviour can be examined.
System level
System level analysis examines state behaviour by looking at the international system.
In this level of analysis, the international system is the cause and state behaviour is the effect.
Change in the international system will cause change in state behaviour.
The key variable in the international system is the power of a state within the system. Some states are powerful; others are weak.
State level
State level analysis examines the foreign policy behaviour of states in terms of state characteristics. For example, some scholars say that all democracies behave a certain way; they don’t fight with other democracies.
Some scholars might say that the foreign policy behaviour of every state is a cultural characteristic, defined by the historical legacy of the state, the religious or social traditions, or the economic and geographic nature of the state itself (Constructivist).
Organisational level
Organizational level analysis examines the way in which organizations within a state function to influence foreign policy behaviour.
Organizations bargain with each other to create a foreign policy that is a compromise between competing organizations.
Human level
People make decisions within nation states and therefore people make foreign policy. Scholars might look at the roles of different leaders.
This level of analysis might explain World War II by examining the role of Hitler. It might look at the end of the cold war by studying Gorbachev. It might suggest that the economic reforms in China are a result of the transition from Mao Zedong’s leadership to Deng Xiaoping’s rule.
This level of analysis also includes cognitive theories --- theories that explain foreign policy by looking at the way leaders perceive the
One of the key questions in international relations and foreign policy is the question of how you
Scholars see several levels of analysis through which state behaviour can be examined.
System level
System level analysis examines state behaviour by looking at the international system.
In this level of analysis, the international system is the cause and state behaviour is the effect.
Change in the international system will cause change in state behaviour.
The key variable in the international system is the power of a state within the system. Some states are powerful; others are weak.
State level
State level analysis examines the foreign policy behaviour of states in terms of state characteristics. For example, some scholars say that all democracies behave a certain way; they don’t fight with other democracies.
Some scholars might say that the foreign policy behaviour of every state is a cultural characteristic, defined by the historical legacy of the state, the religious or social traditions, or the economic and geographic nature of the state itself (Constructivist).
Organisational level
Organizational level analysis examines the way in which organizations within a state function to influence foreign policy behaviour.
Organizations bargain with each other to create a foreign policy that is a compromise between competing organizations.
Human level
People make decisions within nation states and therefore people make foreign policy. Scholars might look at the roles of different leaders.
This level of analysis might explain World War II by examining the role of Hitler. It might look at the end of the cold war by studying Gorbachev. It might suggest that the economic reforms in China are a result of the transition from Mao Zedong’s leadership to Deng Xiaoping’s rule.
This level of analysis also includes cognitive theories --- theories that explain foreign policy by looking at the way leaders perceive the