The following article does not deal with foreign policy or international politics directly. However it is very relevant if you are thinking about these issues in relation to public opinion and the media. This article suggests that opinions, once formed, are very resistant to change. This means that for policy-makers looking for public support for their initiatives it will likely be easier to frame policies in terms of preexisting beliefs rather than challenge established ideas. It also suggests that politicians who play to established ideas may have an advantage over those suggesting change. It also suggests that the powers that be cannot make the public believe what ever they want. One wonders what implications this has for the Almond-Lippmann consensus.
http://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/i-dont-want-to-be-right
IR Theory & Practice 