Week 8

This week we talked about digital diplomacy and the introduction of new technology to the process that broadly defines foreign policy. Doing this, we need to keep in mind that the foreign policy process is more than interactions between diplomats, senior policy makers, or states. Foreign policy is a domestic internal process as well as an international one. We also talked about developments in foreign policy and technology that came about after 9/11. These include a more robust domestic wire-tapping program, ease of communications between transnational groups, the increasing visibility of non-state actors, increased information sharing between intelligence agencies and nations, and a preference for speed vs accuracy. the result is greater awareness and a greater sense of immediacy. with more technology, individuals become more selective of where they get their information from by choosing sources that conform to views that they already have. they also tend to go for the more readily available sources. We then talked about domestic attention to international events and dispelled the basic assumption that domestic political concerns are more salient, that people are more aware of them, and that they make a conscious effort to learn more about issues that are seen as directly involving the neighborhood. The reality is that citizens are in fact quite aware of foreign policy issues and they understand the connections between domestic and international issues.

1. What are some instances in which decision maker's underestimated voter's concerns and understandings of foreign policy?
2. Why do members of the public go to sources that conform to their beliefs?

2. Individuals choose to listen to media sources that conform to their beliefs because they feel more comfortable. Just as someone goes to a restaurant that conforms to their taste, people go to a news source that frames events in a way that is agreeable to them.