Christopher Hill (political scientist)

Christopher Hill (born 1948) is a British political scientist specializing in foreign policy analysis, European Union foreign policy, and international relations theory. He is Emeritus Professor of International Relations at the University of Cambridge and Senior Associate Fellow at the Centre for International Studies, London School of Economics.

Hill received his education at Oxford University. He has held positions at the London School of Economics, the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House), and the University of Cambridge.

His research focuses on the gap between aspiration and reality in foreign policy, exploring why states frequently fail to achieve their desired goals in international affairs. He has written extensively on the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), as well as on broader issues of national interests and the changing nature of diplomacy. He has also made significant contributions to the theoretical understanding of foreign policy analysis.

Key publications include:

• The Changing Politics of Foreign Policy (Palgrave Macmillan, 2003)
• National Interests in Foreign Policy: An European Balance-Sheet (Routledge, 1996)
• The Capability-Expectations Gap, or Conceptualising Europe's International Performance (Journal of Common Market Studies, 1993) - this article is highly influential and frequently cited.

Hill's work is known for its critical analysis and insightful perspectives on the complexities of contemporary international relations. He is a frequent commentator on current affairs related to foreign policy and European integration.