Unilateralist Temptation in American Foreign Policy

David Skidmore is professor of politics and international relations at Drake University. He is Director of the Drake University Center for Global Citizenship and past Director of the Drake Curriculum and First Year Seminar programs. His research and teaching interests lie in the areas of American foreign policy, international political economy and international relations theory.

• 1. The Unilateralist Turn in U.S. Foreign Policy 2. The International and Domestic Sources of Unilateralism 3. Structure and Ideology in U.S. Foreign Policy: Clinton and Bush Compared 4. The United States and International Public Goods 5. Reconfiguring the Terms of U.S. Engagement with International Institutions 6. Barack Obama and the Unilateralist Temptation

"In this volume, David Skidmore offers a careful and sobering assessment of the tenacity of unilateralism in U.S. foreign policy over time. Skidmore also shows how President Barack Obama has been unable so far to counteract the underlying structural obstacles to a more mulitlateralist foreign policy. This volume’s last chapter should be a ‘must read’ for U.S. foreign policy makers committed to making U.S. foreign policy more effective by increasing its legitimacy in the eyes of others."—Ralph G. Carter, Texas Christian University"David Skidmore’s new book offers a stimulating challenge to theories that posit sharp changes in American foreign policy during recent decades—namely, from post-World War II multilateralism to post-September 11 unilateralism. He argues that structural constraints provide a better explanation of foreign policy behavior than presidential ideology and, thus, that there are some important unilateralist continuities across the three most recent administrations. Sixteen case studies across several important issue areas vividly illustrate his thesis."—Ole Holsti, Duke University"In The Unilateralist Temptation in American Foreign Policy, David Skidmore laments the lack of multilateralism in American foreign policy and outlines a structural explanation—several important international and domestic constraints—to account for it. Although the Cold War years yielded greater multilateralism by the United States, Skidmore argues, the post-Cold War years are more challenging for such international collaboration by any administration, regardless of ideological orientation. A provocative read."—James M. McCormick, Iowa State University"Those who were hoping for, or predicting, a more multilateral U.S. foreign policy under Barack Obama will continue to be disappointed, argues David Skidmore. And they are going to have to respond to Skidmore’s lucid argument and abundant evidence that Presidents, Democratic and Republican, are pushed by international and domestic factors to exempt America from international rules."—John Owen, University of Virginia