My research examines the factors that impact foreign policymaking including polarization, partisanship, and executive-legislative relations. Much of my work has focused on congressional foreign policy within the United States. My dissertation, and first book, explored the conditions for arms control ratification in the senate within the evolving political dynamics of the post-Cold War era. More recently, Jeffrey S. Lantis and I have been exploring how U.S. foreign policy is being impacted by the fracturing of today's American political parties and the rise of ideological factions. We continue to explore how the current polarized environment under President Trump is impacting U.S. foreign policymaking. My current work, while on sabbatical in the spring of 2021, continues in this vein by exploring how the rise of far-right parties in Eastern Europe is impacting European foreign policymaking. PDFs FOR DOWNLOAD AT THE BOTTOM
www.researchgate.net/profile/Patrick_Homan
Publications
US Foreign Policy in Action: An Innovative Teaching Text, with Jeffrey S. Lantis (2nd edition, 2022). Routledge.
https://www.routledge.com/US-Foreign-Policy-in-Action-An-Innovative-Teaching-Text/Lantis-Homan/p/book/9780367616021
This book represents a timely exploration of the dynamics of U.S. foreign policy development. It introduces historical developments and theories of U.S. foreign policy and engages students in the politics and debates of the foreign policy process (both directly and by proxy) through innovative learning exercises. This book offers a rich understanding of the politics behind clashing perspectives towards contemporary foreign policy challenges ranging from immigration policy controversies to COVID-19 pandemic responses, climate change to the China trade war. All of these issues are presented in dynamic ways that focus on activism and engagement in the policy process—and so this text speaks directly to a new generation of college students who have mobilized to political activism. The book is intended to serve as a core text for classes on U.S. foreign policy at the 200-level or above and will appeal to a broad audience.
"Foreign Policy Free Agents: How Lawmakers and Coalitions on the Political Margins Help Set Boundaries for US Foreign Policy," with Jeffrey S. Lantis. International Politics. Advanced online publication (Jan. 2022) as part of a special issue on polarization and US foreign policy. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41311-021-00371-8
Bipartisan consensus on many US domestic and foreign policy priorities has seemingly collapsed in recent decades, and political parties have become ideologically polarized and divided. While some contend that these dynamics are narrowing the space for congressional foreign policy innovation, we argue that factionalism often fosters creativity in the foreign policy process. Specifically, this article explores the role of ‘free agent’ progressive Democrats and conservative Republicans in foreign policy decision-making. These members at the ideological extremes of their parties are finding common ground in anti-establishment views and concerns about executive excess, and they are aligning to challenge traditional foreign policy positions. This paper conducts a plausibility probe of a model of congressional foreign policy free agency based upon roll call voting on war powers-related decisions in the Obama and Trump administrations. During both presidencies, our findings suggest that the free agency model has predictive value for foreign policy maneuvering and offers a non-traditional way of thinking about contemporary US foreign policy development.
The Battle for U.S. Foreign Policy: Congress, Parties, and Factions in the 21st Century, with Jeffrey S. Lantis. (2019). Palgrave Macmillan. https://www.palgrave.com/us/book/9783030301705
This book is an original study of the contemporary debate over U.S. foreign policy between the president, members of Congress, and political parties. Specifically, it examines how factions at the ideological extremes within parties such as the Tea Party, the Freedom Caucus, and Progressive Democrats can play significant roles in shaping U.S. foreign policy. In today’s polarized atmosphere where Americans seem increasingly divided, factions are emerging as powerful insurgents, innovators, and engines of change. The book develops a minority theory of influence that recognizes the importance of traditional and nontraditional strategies including persuasion, legislation, and issue framing. Original case studies explore factions at work in foreign policy development during the Barack Obama and Donald Trump administrations, including struggles over immigration policy, trade agreements, development aid, and foreign policies toward Iran and Syria.
"Factionalism and US Foreign Policy: A Social Psychological Model of Minority Influence," with Jeffrey S. Lantis. (2019). Foreign Policy Analysis, 15(2): 157-175. https://academic.oup.com/fpa/article-abstract/15/2/157/4841634
Scholars have examined the influence of intraparty factionalism on government stability and policy development in democratic systems for some time, yet factionalism in major political parties in the United States remains understudied. This article draws on scholarship on minority influence from social psychology, as well as studies of party polarization and coalitions in comparative politics, to explore the impact of factionalism in the US Congress on support for foreign policy initiatives. It proposes a novel framework to examine the longitudinal impact of the Freedom Caucus or Tea Party in the Republican Party on foreign policy initiatives championed by the majority. It conducts a plausibility probe of the model linking factionalism, minority influence strategies, and delays in establishment progress on foreign policy through case studies of comprehensive immigration policy reform debates and Trade Promotion Authority for the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The paper concludes that factions that demonstrate persistence and consistency in support of minority positions do appear to influence the scope and direction of foreign policy commitments, votes on major legislation, and nonvotes over time.
Getting to 67: The Post-Cold War Politics of Arms Control Treaty Ratification. (2015). Routledge.
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/getting-67-patrick-homan/10.4324/9781315660592
All four post-Cold War presidents have attempted to negotiate and ratify at least one major arms control agreement. However, their experiences with arms control treaty ratification have differed greatly from those of their Cold War predecessors. The main theme of this book is that domestic politics have significantly impacted attempts to ratify arms control treaties in the polarized post-Cold War political environment. Each president and each treaty faced varying amounts of support and opposition from the numerous institutions and agents within American foreign policy-making. This book uses an eight-point analytical framework to examine five post-Cold War arms control treaty ratification debates in order to try and determine what political conditions or variables account for their success or failure.
"Exploring the Next Generation of Proliferators: Why Venezuela is Not the Next Iran." (2013). The Nonproliferation Review, 20 (1): 63-80. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10736700.2012.761791
This theoretical analysis explores which countries might constitute the next generation of nuclear proliferators, using Venezuela as a case study of one of the possible next nuclear weapon states. Three alternative theoretical frameworks or models are used to analyze the preconditions that might or might not drive Venezuela to pursue nuclear weapons in the near future. This study finds that there is little evidence to support the alarmist claims surrounding a future Venezuelan nuclear weapons program. These findings are important for both devising an accurate US national security strategy for identifying and combating the next generation of proliferators and also for implementing effective policies for the future of US-Latin American relations.
www.researchgate.net/profile/Patrick_Homan
Publications
US Foreign Policy in Action: An Innovative Teaching Text, with Jeffrey S. Lantis (2nd edition, 2022). Routledge.
https://www.routledge.com/US-Foreign-Policy-in-Action-An-Innovative-Teaching-Text/Lantis-Homan/p/book/9780367616021
This book represents a timely exploration of the dynamics of U.S. foreign policy development. It introduces historical developments and theories of U.S. foreign policy and engages students in the politics and debates of the foreign policy process (both directly and by proxy) through innovative learning exercises. This book offers a rich understanding of the politics behind clashing perspectives towards contemporary foreign policy challenges ranging from immigration policy controversies to COVID-19 pandemic responses, climate change to the China trade war. All of these issues are presented in dynamic ways that focus on activism and engagement in the policy process—and so this text speaks directly to a new generation of college students who have mobilized to political activism. The book is intended to serve as a core text for classes on U.S. foreign policy at the 200-level or above and will appeal to a broad audience.
"Foreign Policy Free Agents: How Lawmakers and Coalitions on the Political Margins Help Set Boundaries for US Foreign Policy," with Jeffrey S. Lantis. International Politics. Advanced online publication (Jan. 2022) as part of a special issue on polarization and US foreign policy. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41311-021-00371-8
Bipartisan consensus on many US domestic and foreign policy priorities has seemingly collapsed in recent decades, and political parties have become ideologically polarized and divided. While some contend that these dynamics are narrowing the space for congressional foreign policy innovation, we argue that factionalism often fosters creativity in the foreign policy process. Specifically, this article explores the role of ‘free agent’ progressive Democrats and conservative Republicans in foreign policy decision-making. These members at the ideological extremes of their parties are finding common ground in anti-establishment views and concerns about executive excess, and they are aligning to challenge traditional foreign policy positions. This paper conducts a plausibility probe of a model of congressional foreign policy free agency based upon roll call voting on war powers-related decisions in the Obama and Trump administrations. During both presidencies, our findings suggest that the free agency model has predictive value for foreign policy maneuvering and offers a non-traditional way of thinking about contemporary US foreign policy development.
The Battle for U.S. Foreign Policy: Congress, Parties, and Factions in the 21st Century, with Jeffrey S. Lantis. (2019). Palgrave Macmillan. https://www.palgrave.com/us/book/9783030301705
This book is an original study of the contemporary debate over U.S. foreign policy between the president, members of Congress, and political parties. Specifically, it examines how factions at the ideological extremes within parties such as the Tea Party, the Freedom Caucus, and Progressive Democrats can play significant roles in shaping U.S. foreign policy. In today’s polarized atmosphere where Americans seem increasingly divided, factions are emerging as powerful insurgents, innovators, and engines of change. The book develops a minority theory of influence that recognizes the importance of traditional and nontraditional strategies including persuasion, legislation, and issue framing. Original case studies explore factions at work in foreign policy development during the Barack Obama and Donald Trump administrations, including struggles over immigration policy, trade agreements, development aid, and foreign policies toward Iran and Syria.
"Factionalism and US Foreign Policy: A Social Psychological Model of Minority Influence," with Jeffrey S. Lantis. (2019). Foreign Policy Analysis, 15(2): 157-175. https://academic.oup.com/fpa/article-abstract/15/2/157/4841634
Scholars have examined the influence of intraparty factionalism on government stability and policy development in democratic systems for some time, yet factionalism in major political parties in the United States remains understudied. This article draws on scholarship on minority influence from social psychology, as well as studies of party polarization and coalitions in comparative politics, to explore the impact of factionalism in the US Congress on support for foreign policy initiatives. It proposes a novel framework to examine the longitudinal impact of the Freedom Caucus or Tea Party in the Republican Party on foreign policy initiatives championed by the majority. It conducts a plausibility probe of the model linking factionalism, minority influence strategies, and delays in establishment progress on foreign policy through case studies of comprehensive immigration policy reform debates and Trade Promotion Authority for the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The paper concludes that factions that demonstrate persistence and consistency in support of minority positions do appear to influence the scope and direction of foreign policy commitments, votes on major legislation, and nonvotes over time.
Getting to 67: The Post-Cold War Politics of Arms Control Treaty Ratification. (2015). Routledge.
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/getting-67-patrick-homan/10.4324/9781315660592
All four post-Cold War presidents have attempted to negotiate and ratify at least one major arms control agreement. However, their experiences with arms control treaty ratification have differed greatly from those of their Cold War predecessors. The main theme of this book is that domestic politics have significantly impacted attempts to ratify arms control treaties in the polarized post-Cold War political environment. Each president and each treaty faced varying amounts of support and opposition from the numerous institutions and agents within American foreign policy-making. This book uses an eight-point analytical framework to examine five post-Cold War arms control treaty ratification debates in order to try and determine what political conditions or variables account for their success or failure.
"Exploring the Next Generation of Proliferators: Why Venezuela is Not the Next Iran." (2013). The Nonproliferation Review, 20 (1): 63-80. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10736700.2012.761791
This theoretical analysis explores which countries might constitute the next generation of nuclear proliferators, using Venezuela as a case study of one of the possible next nuclear weapon states. Three alternative theoretical frameworks or models are used to analyze the preconditions that might or might not drive Venezuela to pursue nuclear weapons in the near future. This study finds that there is little evidence to support the alarmist claims surrounding a future Venezuelan nuclear weapons program. These findings are important for both devising an accurate US national security strategy for identifying and combating the next generation of proliferators and also for implementing effective policies for the future of US-Latin American relations.
| free.agent.homan.lantis.ip.pdf |
| factionalism.lantis.homan.fpa.pdf |
| next_generation_of_proliferators.homan.npr.pdf |
