Collapse : a world in crisis and the urgency of American leadership / Douglas E. Schoen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Schoen, Douglas E., 1953- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

World politics--21st century.

World politics.

United States--Foreign relations--21st century.

United States.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (264 p.)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Encounter Books, [2019]

Summary:

Collapse takes stock of a volatile and threatening international environment by looking at some of the underlying causes and flashpoints-the principal one being the failure of institutions and elites to respond to their constituencies and address the problems of our age. This is a problem spanning the increased polarization that bred nationalist and populist movements, the continued failure of Western leaders to come up with effective strategies for combating authoritarian rivals like Russia and China, and the ongoing Islamist threat. Schoen makes clear that the indispensable ingredient for any constructive path forward is effective, engaged, and committed American leadership. This is discussed through the lens of the failed models of President Trump's two recent predecessors, which reflected, respectively, an uncritical embrace of American power-lacking strategic insight and proportion-and an uncritical abandonment of American leadership that suggested an abject view of the U.S. moral example in the world. Instead, Schoen posits assertive democratic idealism-an embrace of U.S. moral leadership around the world but in ways that remain leavened by realism and a guiding understanding of our national interest. Whether President Trump can deliver on such a vision remains to be seen.

Contents:

Introduction : when the world knew

The collapse of institutional legitimacy

A worldwide movement against elites

The breakdown of alliances

Authoritarianism rising, democracy declining

The rogue menace

The Islamist challenge

Third world in crisis

A global energy war?

Religion and American leadership

Assertive democratic idealism.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781641770354

164177035X

OCLC:

1455140024