Abstract

This paper reviews aspects of the formation of foreign policy, with a particular emphasis on how ethical considerations affect policy choices. Theoretical considerations are reviewed with an aim to clarify how ethics, and human rights concerns in particular, might in principle be incorporated in the policy process. A historical case study of Canada-Indonesia relations provides support for an argument that policy choices were not significantly influenced by ethical considerations, but were framed by "realist" assumptions of competitiveness in international relations.