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.
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Featured Work
FEB 15, 2024 • Video
Charles W. Kegley, Jr. Lecture Series: A Place for Ethics in World Politics
In the inaugural Charles W. Kegley, Jr. Lecture, Stephen Hibbard, former chair of Carnegie Council, discusses "A Place for Ethics in World Politics."
FEB 5, 2024 • Podcast
Human Rights, Security, & the Helsinki Legacy: A Discussion with Peter Osnos
This Carnegie Council special event features a roundtable conversation with author Peter Osnos on human rights, security, and the legacy of the Helsinki Accords.
OCT 18, 2023 • Video
Unlocking Cooperation: A Global Ethics Day Special Event
In this keynote event for Global Ethics Day 2023, Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal led a conversation on the psychology behind cooperation; ways that states, institutions, ...
OCT 11, 2023 • Article
Terror Attacks in Israel: A Complete Rout of Ethical Principles
Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal condemns Hamas' shocking terror attacks in Israel. What are we to make of such a complete rout of ethical principles?
OCT 6, 2023 • Video
Cities at the Forefront of the Climate Crisis: The Ethics of Urban Decarbonization and Climate Resilience
This in-depth panel discussion looks at how to address urban-specific climate challenges in an ethical manner. What are the latest climate policy innovations for cities?
MAY 22, 2023 • Article
Sitting on the Sidelines: The Global Divide on Ukraine
Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal reflects on the global divide in relation to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
MAR 2, 2023 • Article
Gandhian Trusteeship: Empathy, Mutuality, and a New Realism
On February 23, 2023, Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal spoke on empathy, mutuality, realism, and in the influence of Mahatma Gandhi at an event organized by Permanent ...
FEB 6, 2023 • Article
Ethics, Escalation, and Engagement in Ukraine and Beyond
Now that HIMAR and Patriot missiles as well as Leopard and Abrams tanks are on the way to Ukraine, NATO unity is at a high ...
DEC 7, 2022 • Article
Five Moments That Will Shape Ethics in International Affairs for 2023
How can ethics help us better understand the world in 2023 and the choices we face within it? Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal discusses the FTX ...
OCT 19, 2022 • Podcast
How to Be an Ethical Individual in an Interconnected World, with Michael Schur
In this special Global Ethics Day event, Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal speaks with Michael Schur, creator of the hit TV show "The Good Place" ...