Description
By (author) Ashford, Emma
:
A fresh, concise roadmap for U.S. grand strategy in a multipolar world
For the past thirty years, post–Cold War triumphalism and a desire to reshape the world have defined U.S. foreign policy. But the failures of the global war on terror, the return of conflict to Europe, and growing tensions with China all suggest that this approach to the world is flawed. For the United States—the country that has ruled the international system largely alone since 1991—this moment is particularly perilous. Can policymakers adapt American foreign policy to better fit the twenty-first century, and in doing so avoid the pitfalls and excesses of the past three decades?
In this book, Emma Ashford proposes a return to a more pragmatic, realist set of strategic principles, ones better suited for the emerging multipolar world, that would pursue narrower U.S. interests, cultivate the capabilities of friendly states, and emphasize room for maneuver over rigid alliances. In this she provides a valuable counterpoint to today’s liberal internationalist consensus, as well as a road map for policymakers who seek to change the course of U.S. foreign policy.
Review quote:
An Engelsberg Ideas Book of the Year 2025
“Impressive. . . . Ashford’s taxonomy is an important contribution. By contrasting foreign policy positions in terms of a few core assumptions, she suggests paths for constructive dialogue among competing factions.”—Stacie E. Goddard, Foreign Affairs
“Thought-provoking.”—Sumantra Maitra, Engelsberg Ideas
“Ashford’s First Among Equals dismantles the myth of unchallenged U.S. primacy with incisive clarity. To navigate a more multipolar and leaderless world, she challenges policymakers to ditch the liberal hegemony playbook and radically rethink America’s global role before it’s too late. Essential reading.”—Ian Bremmer, Eurasia Group and GZERO Media
“In First Among Equals, Ashford affirms her voice as important and her ideas as insightful for scholarly and policy debates about the twenty-first-century world and optimal American foreign policy strategy.”—Bruce W. Jentleson, Duke University
“In First Among Equals, Ashford delivers a bold reassessment of America’s role in a shifting world. Through sharp analysis and pragmatic solutions, she charts a path beyond unipolar overreach and toward a balanced, interest-driven foreign policy for the United States.”—Mark Leonard, director, European Council on Foreign Relations
Biographical note:
Emma Ashford is a senior fellow at the Stimson Center, where she is part of the Reimagining U.S. Grand Strategy Program. She is also an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and a columnist at Foreign Policy.
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