George Kennan, Moderate Realism, & Multipolarity w/ Michael F. Duggan

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On this edition of Parallax Views, I’m joined by historian and political analyst Michael F. Duggan for a wide-ranging discussion on realism in international relations, the legacy of George Kennan, and the emerging multipolar world order.

We begin with a deep dive into the thought of Cold War strategist George Kennan. Duggan explains what “realism” actually means in the context of foreign policy and why Kennan’s ideas are frequently misunderstood or oversimplified. We discuss Kennan’s skepticism toward ideological crusades in foreign policy, his emphasis on historical and cultural understanding in diplomacy, and the ways in which his outlook reflected a certain elitism that remains controversial today. At the same time, Duggan argues that Kennan remains an indispensable thinker for understanding the limits of power and the dangers of moralistic or utopian approaches to global politics.

From there, the conversation turns to Duggan’s argument that the era of American global primacy is drawing to a close. Drawing on his article “Realism and Regionalism: The United States in a Multipolar World,” Duggan outlines his case for a shift toward what he calls moderate realism and a strategic reorientation in which the United States consolidates its role as a regional power centered on North America rather than attempting to maintain global hegemony.

We also discuss Duggan’s critique of the ideological consensus that has dominated U.S. foreign policy since the end of the Cold War, including both neoconservative and liberal interventionist approaches, and why he believes they have contributed to imperial overstretch.

In the latter portion of the conversation, we examine Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent speech at Davos calling for a new role for “middle powers” in global politics. Duggan analyzes Carney’s proposal for greater strategic autonomy among mid-sized nations and explores whether coalitions of middle powers could realistically balance the influence of larger states in an increasingly multipolar system.

All that and more in this conversation about realism, strategy, and the shifting architecture of global power.