At the beginning of an uncertain New Year, Cambridge Forum considers America’s position on the international stage with the help of Professor Joseph Nye, one of the country’s foremost thinkers on American foreign policy. For the past eight decades, we have lived in “the American Century” – a period during which the US has enjoyed unrivalled global power – be it political, economic or military. Born on the cusp of this new era, Nye has spent a lifetime illuminating our understanding of the changing contours of America power and world affairs. His many books on the nature of power and political leadership have earned him his reputation as one of the most current & influential world scholars.
Joseph Nye shares his own personal memories of living through the American century. From his early years growing up on a farm in rural New Jersey to his time in the State Department, Pentagon and Intelligence Community during the Carter and Clinton administrations where he witnessed American power up close, shaping policy on key issues such as nuclear proliferation and East Asian security. After 9/11 drew the US into wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Nye remained an astute observer and critic of the Bush, Obama and Trump presidencies. Today Nye brings a fresh and insightful perspective about America’s future role in the world; its primacy may be changing, but is it for the better?
