Workshop
Details
The ground of International Relations is state behaviour (or foreign policy), and the ground of foreign policy is decision-maker. But for a long time IR scholars used to “black-boxing” the State to treat it as a rational actor who acts in accordance with law-like generalizations. The State abstraction results from the structure-focused position of IR theories in the perennial philosophical conundrum of social science: the “agent-structure problématique”. This is a severe theoretical handicap, for to lack a robust concept of the agent in IR means to be at a disadvantage when trying to explain or project significant change and noteworthy creativity. It’s therefore understandable that “irregular” cases are as much as “regular” ones from the IR theories point of view.
Developed into the field of IR since late 1950s, Foreign Policy Analysis seeks to cover this lacunae by “open the State black-box” and look into the process of decision-making in foreign policy. In doing this, FPA has made several important contributions to IR. Firstly, it addes many (good) theories at different levels of analysis to IR studies. Secondly, it presents a more robust concept of agency to IR theories. Thirdly, it advocates for a move beyond description or postulation of law-like generalization to a more complete explanation of State behavior that takes in account the contribution of human decision.
Programm
Day 1, 25th November 2022
14.00 – 14.15 Opening Remarks
Dr. Vu Le Thai Hoang
Acting Director General
Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies
Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Mrs. Vu Thi Thu Phuong
Program Manager
Konrad Adenauer Foundation Vietnam Office
14.15 – 17.30 Session 1: Foreign Policy Analysis – State of the Art
Moderator:
Dr. Vu Le Thai Hoang
Acting Director General
Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies
Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Speaker:
Foreign Policy Analysis: Past, Present and Future
Prof. Philippe Le Prestre,
Laval University, Canada
Commentators:
Dr. Le Cong Phat
Dean, Faculty of International Studies
Military Science Academy
Dr. Dao Minh Hong
Vice-Dean, Faculty of International Relations
University of Economics and Finance, Ho Chi Minh City
Dr. Luu Thuy Hong
Vice-Dean, Faculty of International Relations
Academy of Journalism
Dr. Bui Hai Thiem
Lecturer, Faculty of International Politics and Diplomacy
Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Day 2: 26th November 2022
08.30 – 12.00 Session 2: Foreign Policy Analysis – Multilevel Analysis
Moderators:
Prof. Le Dinh Tinh
Director General
Department for Policy Planning, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Dr. Vo Xuan Vinh
Deputy Director-General, Institute for Southeast Asia Studies, Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences
Speakers:
Level of analysis and influencing actors in foreign policy analysis
Dr. Nguyen Hoang Nhu Thanh
Lecturer, Faculty of International Politics and Diplomacy
Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Forecasting framework in foreign policy
Dr. Tran Chi Trung
Deputy Director General, Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies
Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Commentators:
Dr. Ton Sinh Thanh
Former Vietnam Ambassador to India
Dr. Ngo Tuan Thang
Vice-Dean, Faculty of International Studies, USSH Hanoi
Prof. Tran Xuan Hiep
Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities,
Duy Tân University, Da Nang
Dr. Tran Thanh Huyen
Dean, Faculty of International Relations
Ho Chi Minh University of Economic and Finance
Dr. Le Thi Ngoc Han
Vice-Dean, Faculty of International Politics and Diplomacy
Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
13.30 – 17.00 Session 3: Foreign Policy Analysis – Case Studies and Comparison
Moderators:
Dr. Nguyen Thanh Trung
Fulbright University of Vietnam
Dr. Nguyen Thi Hanh
Vice Dean, Faculty of International Politics and Diplomacy
Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Session 3: Foreign Policy Analysis – Case Studies and Comparison
Moderators:
Dr. Nguyen Thanh Trung
Fulbright University of Vietnam
Dr. Nguyen Thi Hanh
Vice Dean, Faculty of International Politics and Diplomacy
Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Speakers:
Middle–powership and niche diplomacy
Dr. Vu Le Thai Hoang
Acting Director General, Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies
Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
India Foreign Policy Adjustment
Dr. Ton Sinh Thanh
Former Vietnam Ambassador to India
Commentators:
Dr. Vo Xuan Vinh
Deputy Director-General, Institute for Southeast Asian Studies, Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences
Dr. Quach Quanh Hong
Lecturer, Faculty of International Politics and Diplomacy
Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Dr. Le Trung Kien
Assitant to Director-General, Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Dr. Nguyen Tuan Khanh
Ho Chi Minh University of Social Sciences and Humanities
17.00 – 17.15 Closing Remarks
Mr. Florian Feyerabend
Resident Representative
Konrad Adenauer Foundation Vietnam Office
Dr. Vu Le Thai Hoang
Acting Director General, Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies
Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam