The textbook logically completes a series of educational and scientific works on the theory and practice of conducting situational analyzes, provides general knowledge about a systematic approach to the study of international relations, about the theoretical foundations of normative political analysis, about existing "think tanks" and their typology. It provides separate situational studies on topical issues of world politics, giving an idea of ​ ​ the format of analytical materials. Among the authors of the textbook are both the "founding fathers" of the MGIMO school of structural analysis and the young successors of this school, who have already done a lot in improving the theory and practice of foreign policy analysis.