Rethinking American Grand Strategy

This excellent edited volume addresses both the main issues of US grand strategy and how to expand the concept....The subject's relevance is underlined—rather than undermined—by the rise of unconventional threats: terrorism, pandemics, autocracy and environmental problems....[The book] aims to show that American grand strategy would be more effective if it did not ignore marginalized voices in its design, especially those that traditional scholarship has neglected....Thus, it approaches grand strategy in America in a new way, whereas its historical interest in issues not normally covered in traditional accounts makes it a welcome addition to the literature. * Georgi Asatryan and Jack Kalpakian, International Affairs *
This collection...covers an impressive range of topics and offers a comprehensive snapshot of the history and current state of the scholarly conversations around U.S. grand strategy.... To the editors' credit, many of the essays speak directly to and even disagree with one another, highlighting tensions in grand strategy scholarship while also questioning the value of the central concept itself. In that sense, the volume appropriately raises far more questions than it answers, which, along with the overall readability of the chapters, make this collection very teachable. It would be a wonderful addition to upper-level undergraduate courses in history, political science, and international relations, and should be required reading for the foreseeable future in graduate seminars on the history of U.S. politics, diplomacy, and foreign relations. * Ed Martini, Journal of American History *
The contributors seek to interject voices that have far too long been absent from the traditional conception of grand strategy as the sole province of presidents and diplomats. The noteworthy result is a valuable reformulation of grand strategy from merely statecraft to human relations in a globalized world in three critical dimensions, considering what grand strategy is, who influences it, and how to study it. The volume comprises a beneficial introduction and 22 exceptional chapters....All the chapters are well written and cogently argued, presenting a vast array of novel perspectives. This exceptional volume is an indispensable contribution to a more comprehensive discernment of American grand strategy that accounts for culture and incorporates original interpretations on this essential subject. Summing Up: Essential. General readers, advanced undergraduates through faculty, professionals. * Choice *
While the volume invites researchers and historians to revisit colorful American characters and grand American ideas, it does not inundate the readers with terminology or language that undermine the appeal of the book to casual observers of American history....This book should be welcomed at any institutional, public, or home library....Aspiring military leaders should avail themselves of the opportunities that this book has to explore, such as vital military operations other than war. * Mark S. Cogan, Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs *
Rethinking American Grand Strategy was thought provoking and enjoyable to read. * S.C.M. Paine, War in History *
This volume... is a valuable contribution to the task of broadly rethinking the goals and tactics of U.S. foreign policy. The analyses it presents aresolidly rooted in history and provide thought-provoking insights into issues and actors that grand strategists rarely consider. * Jessica T. Mathews *
'Grand strategy' is a term that is as difficult to define as it is widely used by scholars and practitioners. This volume's editors and contributors believe that the concept needs to be reconceived....It should be broadened beyond its roots in military affairs and conventionally defined security to include a variety of additional issues, such as immigration, public health, demographics, international assistance, and climate change. It also needs to reach beyond its traditional focus on the state as the only important player to include other influential voices and actors....This volume...is a valuable contribution to the task of broadly rethinking the goals and tactics of U.S. foreign policy. The analyses it presents are solidly rooted in history and provide thought-provoking insights into issues and actors that grand strategists rarely consider * Jessica T. Mathews, Foreign Affairs *
This is, overall, a fantastic book. It's incredibly thought provoking and well researched. I appreciated that it challenged the current ways of thinking of Grand Strategy, and questioned the approaches taken by leaders throughout American history...This book would be a great read for a student of American History, Government, or Political Science, and I believe it offers a unique perspective to anyone looking to understand the use of Grand Strategy over the past two centuries. * Kyra Young, Corvallis Advocate *
I have never seen the words 'grand strategy' and 'global health' in the same sentence, much less an exploration of race and grand strategy. Rethinking Grand Strategy is not what you likely expect, and is far better for it. It is a genuine step toward changing what we think about when we think about grand strategy and who does the thinking. * Anne-Marie Slaughter, Professor Emerita, Princeton University *
This is a terrific collection on the highs and lows of US grand strategy and the debate over its significance. Giving ample room for dissenting voices, the volume reaffirms the necessity of strategic thinking for producing favorable outcomes on issues ranging from national security to reproductive politics. * O.A. Westad, Yale University *