U.S. Global Engagement Initiative

Reshaping discussions on U.S. foreign policy by highlighting ethical considerations

For the last five years, the post-Cold War bipartisan consensus in U.S. foreign policy—that the sustained deployment of U.S. power around the world is indispensable for maintaining the international system—has been called into question. There are now a series of competing narratives providing very different rationales for the degree and scope of U.S. engagement being advanced by different groups on the U.S. domestic political spectrum—each resting on a different understanding of what constitutes ethics in international affairs.

The U.S. Global Engagement Initiative seeks to:

Reshape

Reshape wider discussions on U.S. foreign policy to seriously address the causes and consequences of U.S. disengagement and re-engagement.

Move

Move ethical considerations to the center of policymakers' thinking about international relations, including the emergence of new ethical perspectives based on environmentalism, a focus on greater inclusivity, and the emergence of new technologies.

Probe

Probe the ethical considerations in a world increasingly defined by geopolitical and ideological competition among major powers.

Inform

Inform democratic citizens' understanding of international affairs, global engagement, and U.S. foreign policymaking.

Featured USGE Podcasts, Events, & Articles

JAN 11, 2024 Podcast

Can the Nation-State Survive in 2024? with Judah Grunstein

Judah Grunstein, editor-in-chief of "World Politics Review," joins "The Doorstep" to discusses the fracturing, power vacuums, and identitarianism that will re-shape international politics in 2024.

FEB 1, 2024 Podcast

The Future of Foreign Policy is Feminist, with Kristina Lunz

In this virtual event, Kristina Lunz discusses her book on feminist foreign policy. How can this innovative approach to global diplomacy become a reality?

The Doorstep

An international news podcast and event series that invites participants to recognize that all global news is local in a borderless Internet. Hosted by award-winning journalism professor Tatiana Serafin and international relations scholar Nikolas Gvosdev, this series seeks to broaden listener perspectives on global affairs.

JUN 15, 2022 Podcast

The Doorstep: How Much Will the Global Supply Chain Crisis Cost? with Peter Sand

Inflation and a bear market are dominating headlines. Efforts to curb costs and boost markets, like the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, should help. Logistics analyst ...

MAY 26, 2022 Podcast

The Doorstep: Turkey's Gamble, with Soner Cagaptay

Ahead of NATO's Madrid summit in June, The Washington Institute's Dr. Soner Cagaptay joins "Doorstep" co-hosts, Nick Gvosdev and Tatiana Serafin to discuss Turkey's President ...

MAY 18, 2022 Podcast

America's Great-Power Opportunity, with Ali Wyne

As Russia's war in Ukraine deepens and China’s influence continues to grow, many observers say the United States is entering an era of “great-power ...

MAY 5, 2022 Podcast

The Doorstep: Can Putin Be Prosecuted for War Crimes? with NYU Law's Ryan Goodman

Ahead of a May 6 international conference in Lithuania on steps to create a tribunal to hold Russia accountable for alleged war crimes and genocide in ...

APR 27, 2022 Podcast

The Genesis Machine: Our Quest to Rewrite Life in the Age of Synthetic Biology, with Amy Webb

The global pandemic and investments in mRNA COVID vaccines have accelerated worldwide interest in the field of synthetic biology--a field that unifies chemistry, biology, computer ...

Leadership

Nikolas K. Gvosdev

Former Carnegie Council Senior Fellow, U.S. Global Engagement Initiative (USGE); U.S. Naval War College

Tatiana Serafin

Former Carnegie Council Senior Fellow, U.S. Global Engagement Initiative (USGE); Marymount Manhattan College