Poland’s Foreign Policy

obligatory courses

The main aim of the course is to present the key issues of the Poland's foreign policy after 1989. The course covers topics such as internal and external determinants of the foreign policy, the Polish efforts to join the EU and its activity, the Polish security policy and bilateral relations with Germany, Russia and the United States, as well as with extraEuropean countries.

Remote learning

1. Historical perspective

2. Transformation of Poland’s Foreign Policy after 1989

3. Poland’s accession to the European Union

4. Poland’s activity in the EU

5. Polish security policy

6. Poland in NATO

7. Bilateral relations with the US

8. Bilateral relations with Germany

9. Bilateral relations with Russia

10. Bilateral relations with Baltic States

11. Bilateral relations with Ukraine and Belarus

12. Regionalism in Poland’s Foreign Policy

- Determinants of the Polish foreign policy. Poland's Foreign Policy after the "Cold War" – the breakthrough of 1989. The transformation of the Polish foreign policy. The Polish foreign policy vectors. The process of formulating Polish foreign policy. The professionalization of the Polish foreign service.

- European integration in the Polish foreign policy: Association Agreement, Polish accession negotiations with the European Union, the opportunities and risks associated with the process of the Polish integration with the European Union, the Polish vision of the European Union, Polish initiatives in the European Union.

- Polish security policy: the security of Polish in 1945-1989, the concept of cooperative security, determinants of membership in NATO, Polish security policy within NATO.

- The role and importance of bilateral relations with the United States: a breakthrough in 1989, new priorities, the multilateral dimension of bilateral relations, economic relations, the importance of relations with the Polish community.

- The new quality in relations with Germany: the settlement of bilateral Polish-German relations in the 90s, the main problems of bilateral relations, the Polish efforts to integrate into Western structures and the German foreign policy, the Polish-German partnership.

- Poland's Eastern policy: Polish policy towards the Soviet Union 1989-1991, the evolution of relations with Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, Polish policy towards other European post-Soviet states, Polish policy towards non-European post-Soviet states.

- Central Europe in the Polish foreign policy, Central Europe in the main documents of Polish foreign policy, bilateral relations with selected countries in the region.

- Regionalism in Polish Foreign Policy.

1. R. Kuźniar, Poland's Foreign Policy after 1989, Warsaw 2009.

2. A. Bieńczyk-Missala (ed.), The Great Power and Poland 1919-2019, ASPRA 2019

3. R. Kupiecki (ed.), Through the Eyes of a Strategist and Diplomat. The Polish-American Relations post-1918, Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar, Warsaw 2019.

4. R. Kupiecki, Poland and NATO After the Cold War, Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych, Warsaw 2019.

5. S. Bieleń (ed.) Poland’s Foreign Policy in the 21st Century, Difin, Warsaw 2011

6. Roman Kuźniar, (red.) Poland’s Security Policy 1989-2000, Scholar, Warsaw 2001.

7. J. Zając, Poland’s Security Policy. The West, Russia, and the Changing International Order, Palgrave Macmillan, 2016.

8. A. Bieńczyk-Missala, Poland’s Foreign and Security Policy: Main Directions, „UNISCI Journal”, No. 40, January 2016, s. 101-118

9. A. Bieńczyk-Missala, 'Human Rights in Polish Foreign Policy' PISM, 2006.

After finishing this course students should:

Knowledge: have an extended knowledge of internal and external determinants of the Polish foreign policy; have a thorough knowledge of the process of formulating of the Polish foreign policy; have an extended knowledge of Poland’s activity on bilateral and multilateral forum.

Skills: have the skill in critical observation and interpretation of the Polish foreign Policy; have the skill to analyze internal and external determinants of the Polish foreign policy; have the skill to formulate general ideas and initiatives in the sphere of the Polish foreign policy

Social competences: be able to work in a group, taking different roles; be able to define in an appropriate manner priorities that serve carrying out tasks given by him/herself or someone else; be able to critically complete knowledge and skills

The students will be evaluated based on their whole semester performance. The crucial will be the result of the final exam. 75% - written exam with open questions, 15% - project, 15% - activity&engagement