Return to search

The effect of the leader's belief system on foreign policy: The case of Libya

There are many factors (internal/external) that affect the foreign policy of states. The main task of this study was to investigate the effect of one of these--the leader's values and beliefs--to answer the question: Is it possible to forecast the state's behavior by knowing the leader's articulated values? / With Libya as a case study, the focus was on the effect of Colonel Qaddafi's values on Libyan foreign policy toward Chad, Ethiopia, and the Sudan. Three methodological procedures were applied. First, in order to know the leader's values, a content analysis was made of Colonel Qaddafi's speeches and public addresses. Second, event analysis was used to analyze Libyan behavior toward the three target states in terms of conflict/cooperation. Third, the relationship between the leader's values and the state's behavior (events) was assessed through the evaluation of a panel of experts on the region. / The analysis produced seven major values: anti-imperialism, pro-Arab unity, anti-Israel, pro-Islam, anti-communism, power, and security. The relationship between these values and events was strongly founded, but it was stronger for some than others. The number of values utilized to explain the behavior was different from one target state to another. / The general conclusion was that the leader's values have a strong effect on foreign policy behavior. Given an event and utilizing the values, Libyan behavior could be forecast. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-12, Section: A, page: 3861. / Major Professor: Monte Palmer. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1988.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_77875
ContributorsArab, Mohamed Khalifa., Florida State University
Source SetsFlorida State University
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeText
Format277 p.
RightsOn campus use only.
RelationDissertation Abstracts International

Page generated in 0.0018 seconds