Graham Allison's Conceptual Models

Paper Summary:

The paper weights each of Graham T. Allison's three conceptual models against the decision to go to war in Iraq in 2003 in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the models. The paper explains the rational policy model, the organizational processes model and the bureaucratic politics model. The paper concludes that because the war is a subject of such recent history, and a variety of debates exist as to its actual cause, the conceptual models prove extremely useful in organizing and evaluating many of the war's proposed motivations. The writer of the paper therefore is of the view that although they were conceived over three decades ago, Allison's conceptual models remain relevant to today's foreign policy world.

Outline:
Introduction
Rational Policy Model
Organizational Processes Model
Bureaucratic Politics Model
Evaluation and Conclusion

From the Paper:

"In 1969, Harvard University's Graham T. Allison revolutionized foreign policy with his American Political Science Review article, "Conceptual Models and the Cuban Missile Crisis," creating three theoretical models that are still widely references in international relations theory today: Rational Policy Model, Organizational Process Model, and Bureaucratic Politics Model. While some have heeded the models as infallible, others have suggested their need for reconditioning. In their 1992 study, Jonathan Bendor of Stanford University and Thomas H. Hammond of Michigan State University found that "the models require substantial reformation" by subjecting them to a "systematic critical analysis" (301). Other scholars, like Andrew Farkas, have considered one of Allison's models--in his case Rational Actor Model--and critiqued the model based on other factors, such as psychological data (343)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Allison, Graham T. "Conceptual Models and the Cuban Missile Crisis." The American Political Science Review. 63.3 (1969): 680-718.
• Bendor, Jonathan and Hammond, Thomas M. "Rethinking Allison's Models." American Political Science Review. 86.2 (1992): 301-322.
• Farkas, Andrew. "Evolutionary Models in Foreign Policy Analysis." International Studies Quarterly. 40.3 (1996): 343-361.
• Hayes, Stephan F. "Saddam's Al Queda Connection." The Weekly Standard. 8.48 (2003).
• Paterson, Graham. "Alan Greenspan Claims Iraq war was really for oil." 2007. The Times Online. June 30, 2008. <http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article2461214.ece>.

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