Joseph S. Nye on Morality in Foreign Policy

PAST EVENT VIDEO

Lecture

Joseph S. Nye discussed his findings after examining the foreign policies of US presidents on three ethical dimensions—their intentions, the means they used, and the consequences of their decision.

Stephen Melkisethian

Speakers

Joseph S. Nye Jr.
Juliet Sorensen

Event Date

January 14, 2020

About This Event

Presidents and their foreign policies are constantly subjected to moral judgements, but to what extent do ethical considerations actually guide policymaking? To answer this question, renowned international relations scholar Joseph S. Nye assessed the foreign policies of each United States president from FDR to Trump on three ethical dimensions-their intentions, the means they used, and the consequences of their decision-and joins Juliet Sorensen for a conversation on his findings. What ethical quandaries did these presidents face, and could the reemergence of a great power rivalry and a host of complex, transnational threats complicate these questions for whoever wins the 2020 election?

Joseph S. Nye Jr.'s latest book, Do Morals Matter? Presidents and Foreign Policy from FDR to Trump, is available at the Book Cellar.

About the Speakers

Joseph S. Nye Jr.

University Distinguished Service Professor and former Dean, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

Juliet Sorensen

Director, Rule of Law Institute and Program in Rule of Law for Development, Loyola University

Juliet Sorensen is a clinical professor of law and the director of Loyola's Rule of Law Institute and Program in Rule of Law for Development. She was previously on the faculty of Northwestern and served as the executive director of Injustice Watch, a nonprofit investigative journalism organization focused on systemic inequities in the courts.