The paper analyses three formative foreign policy decisions in the past decade and assesses them from a rationalist perspective.

The aim of the paper is to determine which of the dominant paradigms within international relations best explains Polish state behaviour. In doing this it is hoped that predictions can be made in terms of future policy decisions. The paper looks at the 2003 Iraq War, 2004 EU entry and the 2008 US/Polish declaration. Each of these is analysed from both a defensive and offensive realist perspective as well as a neo-liberal institutionalist one.

The paper shows how none of the dominant theories sufficiently explain Polish foreign policy and that in fact a different paradigm is needed. The paper concludes by calling for a reflectivist approach to understanding Polish foreign policy.

Jeremy Wysakowski-Walters holds an MA in American Studies and is currently doing a PhD in International Relations at the University of Łódź.

April 1, 2011

Basia A Bubel, NYU, Platinum Contributor (191)

• 1
•  
•  
• 
• 

I like this comment! What's this?

great paper! Its very interesting, informative and I agree with your assessment.

April 2, 2011

Jeremy Wysakowski-Walters, University of Łódź, Gold Contributor (84)

• 1
•  
•  
• 
• 

I like this comment! What's this?

Thank you Basia. The paper forms part of a PhD thesis where constructivism is used, I think sucessfully, to explain Polish policy.

Commenting has been deactivated in the archive. We appreciate your comments on our more recent articles at atlantic-community.org