Power, prestige, and unipolarity: An examination of neorealist influences on post-Cold War American foreign policy.

摘要

This thesis examines the extent to which neorealist balance of power and balance of threat theories influence American foreign policy efforts. The case studies examine the US-Russian disagreement over a US national missile defence system, Sino-American relations over Taiwan, and the granting of permanent normal trade relations status to China as part of China's accession into the World Trade Organization. The research hypotheses are drawn from Waltz's balance of power and Walt's balance of threat theories. The research results indicate balance of threat hypotheses more consistently explain American foreign security policy, whereas balance of power theory more accurately explain American foreign economic policy. US NMD policy and America's Taiwan policy are more accurately explained by balance of threat theory. However, the decision to grant PNTR status to China is explained by a mix of balance of power and balance of threat theories.