A life in the American century

With the United States’ presidential election just a few months away, the stakes go far beyond domestic politics. The results will decide the future of American foreign policy, at least for the next four years. In the corridors of power in Washington, US policymakers will need to adapt to a new leadership and navigate the complexities of today’s international system accordingly.

In this episode, Mark Leonard welcomes political scientist Joseph Nye, who served as the former assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs and chair of the national intelligence council during Bill Clinton’s first presidency. He is also the former Dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and co-founder to the international relations theory of neoliberalism. Together, they discuss Nye’s new book “A Life in the American Century”. Are there similarities between today’s great power competition and the days of the cold war? Should we be optimistic about America’s (and by extension, the West’s) long-term prospects? Where is China headed?

This podcast was recorded on 7 February 2024.

Bookshelf:

A Life in the American Century | Joseph Nye

Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology | Chris Miller

Overreach: How China Derailed Its Peaceful Rise | Susan L. Shirk