Joel H. Rosenthal

President, Carnegie Council

Joel H. Rosenthal is president of Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs. As a nonprofit leader, scholar, and teacher he works to empower ethical action, with a particular focus on U.S. foreign policy, issues of war and peace, human rights, and pluralism. At Carnegie Council, Rosenthal leads a team that identifies critical ethical issues, convenes experts, and produces agenda-setting resources to educate and activate communities globally.

Rosenthal is editor-in-chief of the Ethics & International Affairs journal published by Cambridge University Press. His first book Righteous Realists is an examination of the political realists who shaped post-WWII America in the nuclear age, including Hans Morgenthau, Reinhold Niebuhr, and George Kennan. His current writing and commentary can be found at the President’s Desk.

Rosenthal is the recipient of numerous awards including the Distinguished Scholar Award from the International Studies Association for his lifetime achievement in international studies and an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Social Science from the University of Edinburgh. He received his Ph.D. from Yale University and BA from Harvard University.

Featured Work

JAN 13, 2009 Podcast

Andrew Carnegie

Biographer David Nasaw tells the fascinating story of Andrew Carnegie's efforts to stop World War I, and how his failure broke his heart.

DEC 16, 2008 Article

Pillars of Ethics

Ark of the Liberties: America and the World

NOV 4, 2008 Podcast

Ark of the Liberties: America and the World

Ted Widmer shows that from its beginnings, the United States, for all its shortfalls, has been by far the world's greatest advocate for freedom.

JUL 8, 2008 Podcast

Torture, Rights, and Values: Why the Prohibition of Torture is Absolute

Rodin's premise is that if we have a commitment against torture, then it leads to an absolute prohibition on torture. Luban worries that our commitment ...

Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet: The New Geopolitics of Energy

MAY 21, 2008 Podcast

Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet: The New Geopolitics of Energy

Michael Klare warns that the world's diminishing sources of energy may create a new arms race between the U.S. and China. It is essential ...

NOV 29, 2007 Podcast

Finance as a Tool of National Security: Update on the Effort to Combat Terror Financing

Levitt discusses the behind-the-scenes work that Treasury is doing to cut off funds for terrorism, with particular focus on Iran.

NOV 1, 2007 Podcast

Arsenals of Folly: The Making of the Nuclear Arms Race

Richard Rhodes says that it's time to finish the work that Reagan and Gorbachev began and get rid of all the nuclear weapons in the ...

After Iraq: The Imperiled American Imperialism

MAY 30, 2007 Podcast

After Iraq: The Imperiled American Imperium

Drawing parallels between today's situation in Iraq and the wars of ancient Greece and Persia, Raymond shows how a great power's hubris can lead to ...

The Flag of Iran

MAY 3, 2007 Article

Revisiting Iran?

Is Iran's goal to achieve hegemony in the Persian Gulf and throughout the Middle East? Is that possibility sufficient cause for the U.S. to ...

JAN 11, 2007 Podcast

Global Financial Warriors: The Untold Story of International Finance in the Post-9/11 World

What steps did the U.S. government take to freeze terrorist assets worldwide, plan the financial reconstruction of Afghanistan, and oversee the development of a ...