The Crisis of American Foreign Policy: Wilsonianism in the Twenty-first Century - Hardcover

Ikenberry, G. John; Knock, Thomas; Slaughter, Anne-Marie; Smith, Tony

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28 ratings by Goodreads

9780691139692: The Crisis of American Foreign Policy: Wilsonianism in the Twenty-first Century

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0691139695 ISBN 13: 9780691139692

Publisher: Princeton University Press, 2008

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Was George W. Bush the true heir of Woodrow Wilson, the architect of liberal internationalism? Was the Iraq War a result of liberal ideas about America's right to promote democracy abroad? In this timely book, four distinguished scholars of American foreign policy discuss the relationship between the ideals of Woodrow Wilson and those of George W. Bush. The Crisis of American Foreign Policy exposes the challenges resulting from Bush's foreign policy and ponders America's place in the international arena.

Led by John Ikenberry, one of today's foremost foreign policy thinkers, this provocative collection examines the traditions of liberal internationalism that have dominated American foreign policy since the end of World War II. Tony Smith argues that Bush and the neoconservatives followed Wilson in their commitment to promoting democracy abroad. Thomas Knock and Anne-Marie Slaughter disagree and contend that Wilson focused on the building of a collaborative and rule-centered world order, an idea the Bush administration actively resisted. The authors ask if the United States is still capable of leading a cooperative effort to handle the pressing issues of the new century, or if the country will have to go it alone, pursuing policies without regard to the interests of other governments.

Addressing current events in the context of historical policies, this book considers America's position on the global stage and what future directions might be possible for the nation in the post-Bush era.

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From the Back Cover:

"Is Woodrow Wilson's legacy still alive in American foreign policy? Has the Iraq War discredited intervention for liberal purposes? These are key questions for the next president and they are debated here by some of our best thinkers. This book makes a fascinating read."--Joseph S. Nye, Harvard University

"Have American efforts to promote democracy and multilateralism been fatally tainted by the war of choice in Iraq? Has Wilsonianism become a poisoned chalice? In this provocative study, four leading scholars of international relations examine, with shrewd insight and passionate conviction, the benefits and perils of American global intervention in the name of its democratic principles."--Ronald Steel, University of Southern California

"Tightly argued and closely reasoned, this book is a searching and unflinching examination of the Wilsonian legacy and its influence on the Bush administration, raising questions that will haunt policymakers for years to come."--Walter Russell Mead, Council on Foreign Relations

"In this book, four leading authorities have their say on Wilson, who remains, however interpreted and contested, the father of modern American foreign policy. We are all Wilsonians, whether we like it or not, and the authors suggest what this means.The Crisis of American Foreign Policy is timely, insightful, and provocative, and will promote further discussion."--H. W. Brands, University of Texas, Austin

"The authors of this book make a lively, topical, and important contribution to the debate on the meaning and value of Wilsonianism. Whether the invasion and occupation of Iraq should be seen as a violation of the Wilsonian tradition of multilateralism, or an instance of liberal Wilsonian interventionism, is consequential for us all, including the opinion shapers who will confront similar challenges in the future."--Michael Doyle, Columbia University

About the Author:

G. John Ikenberry is the Albert G. Milbank Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University. Thomas J. Knock is associate professor of history at Southern Methodist University. Anne-Marie Slaughter is director of policy planning for the U.S. State Department. Tony Smith is professor of political science at Tufts University.

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