Foreign policy : a study in public administration

Abstract

There has been a tendency among practitioners in the Political Science and Public Administration/Management fields to jealously guard their respective academic domains; and to be often extremely sensitive to a perceived dividing line that separates public policy analysis from foreign policy analysis, arguably to the ultimate detriment of legitimate scientific enquiry. This article seeks to demonstrate that there is a grey area, with particular reference to foreign (public) policy, that ought to unite, rather than divide, the Political Scientist and the Public Administration Scientist; and that an analysis of foreign policy is a legitimate pursuit of the Public Administration Scientist, whether in regard to the decision making process, the implementation of policy or its perceived usefulness or overall effectiveness.