by Lacey Penner
Staff Writer

In a move that is as timely as it is relevant, Shoreline will be offering a class in American Foreign Policy spring quarter.

Taught by Political Science Professor Larry Fuell, the course will cover the basics, and often the intricacies, of American foreign policy. Questions such as “What motivates U.S. foreign policy?”, “Who makes U.S. foreign policy?”, and “What does it mean to be a superpower in the 21st century?” will be explored. The impacts of the Iraq war and global warming on the world will also be examined.

Fuell is no stranger to the workings of foreign policies, as he spent 20 years in the U.S. Foreign Service as an Agricultural Trade Affairs Officer. Fuell says the specifics of his job somewhat depended on which country he was in, be it the four years he spent in China, or the time he spent in Peru and Central America. No matter the country, his duties made him the eyes and ears for the U.S. government in assisting private citizens.

The class will cover some history, as Fuell believes to understand where we’re going and where you want to be, you must first understand what has happened in the past. Government institutions and the processes of foreign policy, as well as the role of Congress within it, will be examined.

Fuell thinks that his experience in the U.S. Foreign Service will be extremely useful in helping students study these issues. He is most excited to teach how we make foreign policy, the interplay of values and institutions, and how foreign policy is shaped by what’s going on in the world.

Though Fuell undoubtedly has plenty of stories to tell of his 20 years in the service, he doesn’t plan to let the class become 10 weeks of story telling. “I am as interested in my students developing their curiosity as I am about memorizing facts,” says Fuell.

That’s not to say that the class will be oriented around memorizing facts. He wants students to ask the right questions about current events, and to be able to talk about and understand the motivations of government institutions.

American Foreign Policy will be taught Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9:30 – 10:20 a.m. It’s a hybrid class, with reflection essays and tests online.