The focus of this course is on American foreign policy since 1939 and in particular on the troubled effort of the United States to strike a proper balance between idealism and realism, isolationism and interventionism, in her international relations. Special attention will be given in this regard to the background, character and intellectual perspectives of the various American Presidents. The method used in the class will essentially be the "case study" approach, in which certain key episodes in contemporary American foreign policy will be subjected to close scrutiny and analysis. The class will be a combination of lectures and group discussions, with the emphasis being on the latter. In order to participate fully in these discussions, it is paramount that students keep up with the assigned reading.