Analogical Reasoning Approach in Foreign Policy Analysis

The purpose of this paper is to introduce analogical reasoning approach as a cognitive approach in Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA). In order to achieve this goal, the paper has attempted to take advantage of existing theoretical and empirical literature, to extract and present systematically some discussions in three issue areas including: definition of analogy and analogical reasoning, the way of applying analogical reasoning in foreign policy decision- making process and explanatory value of analogical reasoning in FPA. In according to the author, these issues construct together components of analogical reasoning approach.