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Named one of 10 best professors from all Texas community colleges, colleges, and universities, across all fields and academic disciplines, in 2014

Piper Professor of 2014

Named top professor for both teaching and research at TCU

TCU Chancellor's Award for Distinguished Achievement as a Creative Teacher and Scholar

Named one of the best 300 professors in the United States, across all fields and academic disciplines, by Princeton Review

The Best 300 Professors

Award for distinguished scholarship and service to the International Studies Association, awarded by its Midwest Region.  First recipient of this award to come from an undergraduate-only political science department

Quincy Wright Distinguished Scholar Award

International Studies Association

American Political Science Association

The Not-So-Silent Partner: Patterns of Legislative–Executive Interaction in the War on Terror, 2001–2009

From Cold War to Arab Spring: mapping the effects of paradigm shifts on the nature and dynamics of US democracy assistance to the Middle East and North Africa

Understanding congressional foreign policy innovators: Mapping entrepreneurs and their strategies

Setting a Course: Congressional Foreign Policy Entrepreneurs In Post‐World War II U.S. Foreign Policy

Navigating the Academic Job Market Minefield

    Succinctly demonstrates the foreign policy making process      Essentials of U.S. Foreign Policy Making identifies the different actors who make U.S. foreign policy and how theories like realism, liberalism, idealism, and constructivism shape their actions in the post-9/11 era.  It describes the process by which foreign policy decisions are made and helps readers assess which stages of the foreign policy process favor which actors.     NOTE: This is the standalone book.    MySearchLab is a part of the Carter program. Research and writing tools, including access to academic journals, help students understand critical thinking in even greater depth. To provide students with flexibility, students can download the eText to a tablet using the free Pearson eText app.    ALERT: Before you purchase, check with your instructor or review your course syllabus to ensure that you select the correct ISBN. Several versions of Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products exist for each title, including customized versions for individual schools, and registrations are not transferable. In addition, you may need a CourseID, provided by your instructor, to register for and use Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products.    Packages  Access codes for Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products may not be included when purchasing or renting from companies other than Pearson; check with the seller before completing your purchase.    Used or rental books  If you rent or purchase a used book with an access code, the access code may have been redeemed previously and you may have to purchase a new access code.    Access codes  Access codes that are purchased from sellers other than Pearson carry a higher risk of being either the wrong ISBN or a previously redeemed code. Check with the seller prior to purchase.   

Essentials of U.S. Foreign Policy Making

Now publishing with CQ Press, the Third Edition of IR: International, Economic, and Human Security in a Changing World explores the most current issues affecting the global community by analyzing how global actors seek international, economic, and human security. Award-winning scholars and authors James M. Scott, Ralph G. Carter, and A. Cooper Drury combine thought-provoking examples with practical learning tools to give you context and help you develop an understanding of not just what happens, but why and how it happens. Assuming no prior knowledge about international relations, the text provides you with a framework to understand what conditions behavior in the international arena―the challenges of anarchy, diversity, and complexity permeate the multitude of events that comprise of our world today. You will be able to make sense of the complicated events and interactions of world politics and come away with a broader view of the world’s geographical and political landscapes. New to the Third Edition:  New discussions of key international trends and developments such as the shifts in power and leadership, the nature of and challenges to international order, the backlash against globalization and the rise of populism around the world. New and updated tables, charts, maps, and photographs illustrate important political events and players and bring concepts to life for today’s students. New and updated "Spotlight On" stories look at recent events happening in China, North Korea, Russia, and other countries to help students apply important concepts to real-world scenarios.    New and updated "Theory in Action" examples feature contemporary theories about feminism, leadership, and more to demonstrate how ideas are directly translated into current policy and action.  New and updated "The Revenge of Geography" feature with current issues such as "The Shrinking World," turmoil in the African Great Lakes region, and more to demonstrate how a country’s borders and geography influences its relationships with neighboring countries. New and updated "Foreign Policy in Perspective" discussions explain how the dynamics of international relations have changed, putting into context the recent behavior and motivations of Russia’s interactions with its neighbors, Brexit, sanctions on North Korea, and more.    

IR: International, Economic, and Human Security in a Changing World

Contemporary Cases in U.s. Foreign Policy: From Terrorism to Trade 5th edition by Ralph G. Carter (2013) Paperback

Competing to shape U.S. foreign policy, many actors―from the president and members  of Congress to interest groups, NGOs, and the media―influence policy outcomes and subsequent implementation. In this new fourth edition, editor Ralph G. Carter captures this strategic interplay with 15 real-world cases; four brand-new cases examine the global financial crisis, U.S.-Russian relations, Somali pirates, and the U.S. economic embargo against Cuba. Fully updated, all cases have been revised to reflect recent world events, including new Obama administration policies.Whether grappling with renewed pressure to reform U.S. immigration laws  or with a multilateral approach to North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, the case method encourages readers to question motives, consider alternatives, and analyze outcomes. Each case is consistently structured with a list  of "before you begin" questions, which help bring key issues into focus; introductory and background sections for context; a timeline of important events; and a descriptive list of key actors.

Contemporary Cases in U.S. Foreign Policy: From Terrorism to Trade

Shedding new light on how U.S. foreign policy is made, Ralph G. Carter and James M. Scott focus on “congressional foreign policy entrepreneurs,” the often unrecognized representatives and senators who take action on foreign policy matters rather than waiting for the executive branch to do so. These proactive members of Congress have undertaken many initiatives, including reaching out to Franco’s Spain, promoting détente with the Soviet Union, proposing the return of the Panama Canal, seeking to ban military aid to Pinochet’s regime in Chile, pushing for military intervention in Haiti, and championing the recognition of Vietnam. In Choosing to Lead, Carter and Scott examine the characteristics, activities, and impact of foreign policy entrepreneurs since the end of the Second World War. In so doing, they show not only that individual members of Congress have long influenced the U.S. foreign policy-making process, but also that the number of foreign policy entrepreneurs has grown over time.Carter and Scott combine extensive quantitative analysis, interviews with members of Congress and their staff, and case studies of key foreign policy entrepreneurs, including Frank Church, William Fulbright, Jesse Helms, Edward Kennedy, Pat McCarran, and Curt Weldon. Drawing on their empirical data, the authors identify the key variables in foreign policy entrepreneurship, including membership in the Senate or House, seniority and committee assignments, majority or minority party status, choice of foreign policy issues, and the means used to influence policy. By illuminating the roles and impact of individual members of Congress, Carter and Scott contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the broader U.S. foreign policy-making process.

Choosing to Lead: Understanding Congressional Foreign Policy Entrepreneurs (New Slant: Religion, Politics, Ontology)

Professor Carter teaches introductory courses in political science and international politics as well as advanced courses in Mideast conflicts, U.S. foreign policy, Russian and foreign policy. Making US Foreign Policy: The Essentials (2nd ed., 2020); Contemporary Cases in U.S. Foreign Policy: From National Security to Human Security (6th ed., 2021); IR: Seeking Security, Prosperity, and Quality of Life in a Changing World, with James M. Scott and A. Cooper Drury (4th ed. 2022); the 44 essay Foreign Policy Analysis component of the International Studies Encyclopedia, with Steven B. Redd, Valerie M. Hudson, Patrick James, and Jeffrey Pickering (2010); Choosing to Lead: Understanding Congressional Foreign Policy Entrepreneurs, with James M. Scott (2009), and Making American Foreign Policy, with John T. Rourke and Mark A. Boyer (2nd ed. 1996).  He is the author or co-author of over 50 journal articles, book chapters, and other professional publications.  From 2004-2009, he served as one of the inaugural editors of the journal Foreign Policy Analysis and previously served on the editorial boards of both Foreign Policy Analysis and International Studies Perspectives.  His research agenda focuses on the making of U.S. foreign, trade, and defense policy, with a particular emphasis on the roles played by members of Congress.

In 2014, Professor Carter received the TCU Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Achievement as a Creative Teacher and Scholar and was selected as one of 10 Piper Professors of Texas. In its 2012 inaugural edition, Princeton Review named Professor Carter one of The Best 300 Professors in the United States.  In 2006, he became the first person from a non-doctoral program to receive the International Studies Association’s Quincy Wright Distinguished Scholar Award.  He received TCU’s Deans’ Teaching Award in 2007 and was named one of five ‘Best Professors’ at TCU by the Texas Monthly 2004 Guide to Texas Colleges and Universities.  His TCU service includes participation in its strategic planning processes, two terms as department chair, and stints as director of TCU’s Washington Internship Program, Pre-Law Advisor, and Truman Scholarship Faculty Representative.

International Relations

U. S. Foreign Policy in Film

Middle East

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North Korea

War & Conflict

Foreign Policy

Foreign Policy Analysis

Promotion of U. S. Democracy

Faculty Profile Page

Google Scholar Citations

FLASHPOINT UKRAINE: As War Continues, Moscow Faces Challenges

FLASHPOINT UKRAINE: Zelenskyy Continues to Call for No Fly zone

‘You want a hug.’ Ukrainians in North Texas worry about family during Russia invasion

What's behind the scenes in terms of Vladimir Putin?

expert-qa-ralph-carter-speaks-on-the-politics-of-the-olympic-games

Piper Professor, Political Science

  The 2024 Summer Olympics in France are a celebratory time for many – including a record nine Horned Frogs competing – but the Games are against the backdrop of dynamic circumstances throughout the globe. TCU News spoke to Ralph Carter, Piper Professor of political science, about viewing the Olympics through the lens of current affairs.

Q: Between the Russia/Ukraine conflict, the Israel/Palestine conflict and more, the Olympics are occurring during a tumultuous time in our world. Would you share your observations on that as a political scientist?  The Olympics always take place against a backdrop of international politics. They often generate a surge in nationalism on the part of participating countries. There could be demonstrations for or against certain countries or their athletes that get the attention of the media, but the conflicts currently underway in the world will be largely unaffected.  Q: This is not new. Do any other Games stick out in your mind that occurred during disruption?  The 1980 Olympics were held in Moscow less than a year after the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. As a result, many countries boycotted participating in those games, including the United States. Ultimately, 67 countries chose not to participate in 1980. In retaliation, the Soviet Union boycotted the 1984 Olympics held in Los Angeles along with a handful of pro-Soviet or anti-US countries. Nonetheless, 140 countries participated in 1984, making it the largest number of participating countries up to that point.  Q: Do you feel the Olympic Games happening during times like these helps or hurts? Do you feel it brings a respite or instead makes things more uncomfortable?  It magnifies both the good and bad emotions that arise with heightened nationalism. However, this is usually short-lived, and relationships return to their prior state pretty quickly. Q: For years the Olympics have looked past differences in governments, societies, politics, even human rights. From a historical and political standpoint, what do you think the impact of the Games has been?  The Olympics are a mirror of current realities in international politics. The fact that in 1936 four Olympic gold medals were won in Berlin by a Black American – Jesse Owens – did not change Adolf Hitler’s racism. The 1980 boycott of the Moscow games did not result in a Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan. In short, the Olympics have minimal impact on global politics, if that.   

Q: Anything else you would like to add?  In the past, many countries have gone on spending sprees to host an Olympics, building arenas and sporting facilities, “Olympic villages” of apartments, etc. Many of those countries have failed to recoup any meaningful return on their investments. Oftentimes, those facilities fall into disrepair and lead one to wonder how those financial resources could be better invested for the people of that country. Only a limited number of countries have the in-place sporting facilities and hospitality infrastructure to host such events. It’s long past time, in my opinion, for there to be some changes in the decision-making process regarding host countries.  Ralph Carter is available to speak with media about the upcoming Olympic Games - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
      


Expert Q&A: Ralph Carter Speaks on the Politics of the Olympic Games

can-america-lead-the-way-to-peace-between-palestine-and-israel-let-our-expert-explain-if-its-possible

As the eleven-day war between Palestine and Israel sits on a razor-thin ceasefire, it is hoped that American intervention and influence can deliver support, aid and even a lasting truce between two warring factions.

For diplomats, it will be like walking a tight rope in an effort to calm both the Israelis and Palestinians while also ensuring Hamas remains on the sidelines.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in the region now, leading the cause.

The truce that came into effect Friday has so far held, but it did not address any of the underlying issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, something Blinken acknowledged after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “We know that to prevent a return to violence, we have to use the space created to address a larger set of underlying issues and challenges. And that begins with tackling the grave humanitarian situation in Gaza and starting to rebuild,” he said. “The United States will work to rally international support around that effort while also making our own significant contributions.” He added that the U.S. would work with its partners “to ensure that Hamas does not benefit from the reconstruction assistance.” Blinken will not be meeting with Hamas, which does not recognize Israel’s right to exist and which Israel and the U.S. consider a terrorist organization. May 25 - Associated Press   This will be a long and delicate process and there are a lot of questions to consider:

Is it possible to negotiate in Gaza and not include Hamas? With Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both facing a political ousting - can a solution even be found? And what are the issues and is there any negotiating the long-sought after two-state solution?  If you’re a journalist looking to cover the ongoing tensions between Israel and Palestine – then let us help with your stories and questions.

Professor Ralph Carter is an expert in the areas of international politics, U.S. foreign policy, and Mideast conflicts. Dr. Carter is available to speak with media regarding the ongoing developments between Israel and Palestine – simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.


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