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America in the World - A History of US Diplomacy and Foreign Policy

25 Aug 2021
By Robert B. Zoellick
resident Ford and daughter Susan watch as Secretary of State Henry Kissinger shakes hands with Mao Tse-Tung; Chairman of Chinese Communist Party, during a visit to the Chairman’s residence.  Courtesy Gerald R. Ford Library.

America has a long history of diplomacy. Recounting the actors and events of US foreign policy, Robert B. Zoellick identifies five traditions that have emerged from America’s encounters with the world.

Key drivers of American diplomacy range from Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and Thomas Jefferson to Henry Kissinger, Ronald Reagan, and James Baker.  The five traditions include the importance of North America; the special roles trading, transnational, and technological relations play in defining ties with others; changing attitudes toward alliances and ways of ordering connections among states; the need for public support, especially through Congress; and the belief that American policy should serve a larger purpose. These traditions frame a closing review of post-Cold War presidencies, which he foresees serving as guideposts for the future. Both a sweeping work of history and an insightful guide to US diplomacy past and present, America in the World serves as an informative companion and practical adviser to readers seeking to understand the strategic and immediate challenges of US foreign policy during an era of transformation.

Robert B. Zoellick is Senior Counselor at Brunswick Geopolitical, an advisory service of Brunswick Group, and a Senior Fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.  In addition, Zoellick serves on the boards of Temasek, Singapore’s Sovereign Wealth Fund, Robinhood, and Twitter, Inc., chairs the International Advisory Council of Standard Chartered Bank, and is on the Strategic Council of Swiss Re.  He is a member of the boards of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the Carnegie Endowment, chairs the Global Tiger Initiative, and is a member of the Global Leadership Council of Mercy Corps, a global humanitarian agency. Mr Zoellick was the President of the World Bank Group from 2007-12, U.S. Trade Representative from 2001 to 2005, and Deputy Secretary of State from 2005 to 2006. From 1985 to 1993, Zoellick served as Counselor to the Secretary of the Treasury and Under Secretary of State, as well as White House Deputy Chief of Staff.  He published his book, “America in the World: A History of US Diplomacy and Foreign Policy” in August 2020.

This is a recording of an event held by AIIA Queensland on 13 July 2021. To register for upcoming events, CLICK HERE.