Framework for Foreign Policy Analysis. Having discussed the rationale for analyzing elites, we now discuss the various theoretical approaches in analyzing foreign policy. To do so, a brief survey on the ‘state of the art’ and an effort to chart scholarly progress within the field must be made. Once the theoretical landscape has been mapped, endeavors can be seriously attempted to advance beyond the boundaries set by current knowledge. The instinctive way to best conduct a theoretical survey would be to embrace the multiple levels of analysis framework that was introduced by Singer (1961, 77) as exemplified in the initial promulgation of the concept of international and nation-state levels of analysis. Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx, and Xxxxxxxx (2006, 133-192) took this framework further and delineated six levels of analysis: decision-making individuals, the roles of such individuals, the structures of their government, their society, relations between their nation-state and other international actors, and the world system. However, this levels-of-analysis framework seems too generic. One can get a better assessment of the situation at hand by adapting this framework to a specific context i.e. Indonesia. By marrying the multiple levels of analysis framework into the political power structure of Indonesia with respect to foreign policy making, one can get a clearer picture of the possibilities to engage in analysis. The result ought to be a coherent integrative analytical framework that contextualizes the levels of analysis framework to the Indonesian situation. Returning to the discussion of the power structure in Indonesia, let us first begin with the premise that foreign policy making is a privilege of those in the executive branch of government. In such a case, domestic factors outside this governmental branch are almost irrelevant. Hence, the use of the systemic level of analysis approach would be appropriate for this power structure component. Secondly, one can argue that foreign policy making is, indeed, an affair of the ‘elites.’ Analysis of this power structure component would entail assessment of the structure of domestic decision makers, and of the decision-makers themselves. The role played by decision makers themselves is, therefore, central to the overall power equation despite the implication that within a wider societal context the role played by the elites would be less relevant. For this situation, it would be useful to employ the decision-making approach. As we analyze this power structure c...
