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
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" ...
OCT 13, 2022 • Article
Ethics as an Antidote
Against the bleak backdrop of war in Ukraine, climate emergency, food and energy shortages, and multiple refugee crises—true north on anyone’s moral compass ...
SEP 23, 2022 • Article
Autocrats, Oligarchs, and Us: A Moment of Crisis for Responsible Internationalism
As world leaders meet in New York for the UN General Assembly, it is clear that responsible internationalism is in crisis. Carnegie Council President Joel ...
AUG 30, 2022 • Article
General Milley's Ethical Dilemma: The Letter That Was Never Sent
More than two years after President Trump’s infamous stroll across Washington DC’s Lafayette Square Park, General Mark Milley has gone public with his ...
JUL 6, 2022 • Podcast
A Conversation with Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on Ethics, Diplomacy, & Public Service
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the UN, speaks about the importance of "kindness" in diplomacy, diversity in the Foreign Service, and much more.
JUN 17, 2022 • Article
The United Nations: A Distinct and Exceptional Purpose
"The United Nations stands as the preeminent symbol and hope for the universal aspirations of human society," writes Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal in this ...
MAY 13, 2022 • Article
Ethics As We Know it is Gone. It's Time for Ethics Re-envisioned.
Given the troubling state of international affairs there is reason to be greatly concerned about how ethics is framed or co-opted. To meet this moment, ...
MAR 15, 2022 • Podcast
The Strategy of Denial: American Defense in an Age of Great Power Conflict, with Elbridge Colby
In this wide-ranging talk, U.S. defense expert Elbridge Colby discusses the changing nature of American power with Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal. As the ...
FEB 28, 2022 • Podcast
Russia Invades Ukraine: A Principled Response
Russia's invasion of Ukraine raises several ethical questions: Why did diplomacy fail? What does the invasion mean for the principle of sovereignty? Are sanctions an ...
FEB 9, 2022 • Podcast
Where is the Public Square for the Digital Information Age? with Stelios Vassilakis
In this episode of the "Artificial Intelligence & Equality Initiative" podcast, Senior Fellow Anja Kaspersen and Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal sit down with the Stavros ...