Conversations with History: Institute of International Studies, UC Berkeley

See the Conversations with History Blog See a webcast of this interview: Melbourn

This interview is part of the Institute's "Conversations with History" series, and uses Internet technology to share with the public Berkeley's distinction as a global forum for ideas.

Welcome to a Conversation with History. I'm Harry Kreisler of the Institute of International Studies. Our guest today is Dr. Anders Mellbourn, who is Director of the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. He is a former editor-in-chief of Dagens Nyheter, the leading morning daily in Sweden, where he spent twenty years in various positions. He is Chairman of the STINT Foundation, the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation and Research in Higher Education. He is a regular commentator and columnist on international affairs in various Swedish media.

1. Background ... teacher's family ... University of Stockholm ... the sixties ... opposing the Vietnam war ... Dagens Nyheter ... finding a middle way
2. Journalism ... vs. academia ... modern role of the press ... new emphasis on commentary ... criticism of the press
3. International Relations ... terrorism before and after 9/11 ... "war on terrorism" ... state-centric view ... 9/11 as attack on liberal values ... disconnect between failed states and terrorism ... no exit strategy ... intelligence
4. Sweden's Role in the World ... the middle way ... revising self-image with EU membership ... advocating soft-power solutions ... new transatlantic relationships ... parallels to Britain ... multilateralism and sovereignty
5. The Role of a Superpower ... need for subtle approach ... style matters ... Sweden's future role in multilateral institutions

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