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 14, 2023 Podcast

When McKinsey Comes to Town, with Walt Bogdanich & Michael Forsythe

"New York Times" journalists Walt Bogdanich and Michael Forsythe discuss their book "When McKinsey Comes to Town" with "Doorstep" co-hosts Nikolas Gvosdev and Tatiana Serafin.

MAY 10, 2023 Podcast

The Global Impact of Sudan's Current Crisis, with Christopher Tounsel

What does the escalating conflict in Sudan mean for the country, the region, and the world? University of Washington's Christopher Tounsel, joins "Doorstep" co-hosts Tatiana ...

APR 26, 2023 Podcast

Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology, with Chris Miller

In "Chip War," economic historian Chris Miller explains how America’s advantage in the chip market led to economic and military superiority, and what it ...

APR 5, 2023 Podcast

Geopolitics of Electricity, with Chiara Lo Prete

The global energy crisis, greener energy, and the expansion of renewables are many of the reasons electricity grids are making headlines. Chiara Lo Prete, associate ...

MAR 29, 2023 Podcast

Reframing the Refugee Crisis, with Sana Mustafa

In this podcast, Senior Fellow Tatiana Serafin speaks with Asylum Access CEO Sana Mustafa about the need to re-frame our discussion about forcibly displaced persons.

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