Americký akademik a profesor zahraničných vecí a humanitných štúdií, ktorého práca sa zameriava na medzinárodné vzťahy, politiku, kultúru a náboženstvo, pričom často skúma prepojenie týchto sfér s americkou zahraničnou politikou. Mead je známy svojím širokým záberom a hlbokou analýzou, ktorá sa opiera o jeho rozsiahle cestovanie a skúsenosti. Jeho eseje a recenzie sa objavujú v popredných amerických i medzinárodných publikáciách, čo z neho robí vplyvného komentátora súčasných globálnych otázok.
"A groundbreaking work that overturns the conventional understanding of the Israeli-American relationship and, in doing so, explores how fundamental debates about American identity drive our country's foreign policy"-- Provided by publisher
"An illuminating account of the birth, the rise, and the continuing rise, of a global political and economic system that rested first on the power of Britain and rests today on that of the United States--and now faces a new set of formidable challenges"--Provided by publisher.
"God has a special providence for fools, drunks and the United States of America."--Otto von Bismarck. America's response to the September 11 attacks highlighted its longstanding goals: protecting liberty, securing economic interests, spreading democracy, and vanquishing enemies. Walter Russell Mead, a leading foreign policy thinker, argues that these conflicting impulses are key to the U.S.'s global success. He identifies four historical patterns in American foreign policy, each represented by a significant figure. Wilsonians act as moral missionaries, promoting democracy through international institutions like the U.N. Hamiltonians support international engagement to expand markets and the economy. Populist Jacksonians advocate for a strong military, used sparingly but decisively against adversaries. Jeffersonians prioritize domestic liberty and are wary of large military and international initiatives. Mead's work offers a fresh perspective on America's role in the world, moving beyond outdated debates of realists versus idealists and hawks versus doves, to present a nuanced, historically-informed view of American foreign policy.