Conversations with History: Institute
of International Studies, UC Berkeley
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 Steve Walt. Steve Walt is the Academic Dean and Robert and Renee Belfer
Professor of International Affairs at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School.
His publications include The Origins of Alliances, Revolution, and
his new book, Taming American Power.
- Background ... influence of parents
... education ... Stanford ... Berkeley
- Being an International Relations Theorist ...
requirements of theory ... history ... creativity ... simplification ...
lonely work ... eureka moment
- Realism ... explaining the collapse
of the Soviet Union ... explaining 9/11 ... grading the Bush response to
9/11 ... relation of theory to policy: the case of the Iraq War ... growing
gulf between academics and policymakers
- Teaching ... Kennedy
School and public policy students ... real-world relevance ... using case
studies
- Research ... overview of three books
... interests influenced by events ... the nature of alliances ... balance
of threats ... revolutions ... stepping outside of Realist theory
- Taming American Power ...
post- Cold War optimism ... attempts to balance U.S. power ... balancing
strategies of the weak ... the power of nationalism
- Domestic Influences on U.S. Foreign Policy ...
external actors as lobbyists ... case of the Israel lobby ... taboo topics
- Conclusions ... pre- Cold War diplomacy
... overconfidence ... more continuity
between parties than is realized ... the danger of imposing our values on
others ... using our power more wisely ... restraint
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