Foreign policy is a country’s collection of strategies for managing its interactions with the world. Its development is influenced by a country’s historical background, cultural values, economic interests, security concerns, and political ideology. Foreign policy is a complex arena that entails diplomacy, negotiation, and strategic decision-making to advance a nation’s interests and values in the global arena.
In a globalized economy, a country’s ability to access foreign markets and markets for its goods and services depends on its capability to manage relations with international partners. For this reason, a nation’s foreign policy and its international engagement are critical to its prosperity and influence.
The international system is highly dynamic, as the rise and fall of civilizations, empires, and states has shaped and reshaped the global system and the actors in it. The evolution of foreign policy is parallel to the changing international environment.
Historically, foreign policy has developed from managing short-term crises to addressing long-term international relations. Its evolution has been aided by the development of research and think tanks to provide analysis of international issues and the emergence of professional diplomatic corps that manage diplomacy.
Millennials need to hear, in clear and accessible terms, why engagement in international affairs should remain a top priority of the federal government. This includes ensuring that America leads in the rules of international trade, that we stand up for people around the world who are vulnerable to natural disasters and human rights abuses, and that we are a force for peace in the world.