Framing ethical perspectives
As countries grapple with global issues, such as climate change and the impact of emerging technology, the way that nations interact has never been more consequential. Our experts, programming, and impact initiatives work to analyze the foreign policy of the United States and other nations with an aim to explore shared values and produce agenda-setting resources.
Foreign Policy Resources
International affairs, global governance, and more
DEC 15, 2025 • Video
The Ethics of Decision-Making in National Security
APR 9, 2026 • Article
Realism vs. Pragmatism: Understanding America’s New Rhetorical Landscape
Amid Trump's fiery rhetoric and debates over "realism," Professor Jason Ralph writes that "pragmatism" may offer a better alternative for the American public.
AUG 14, 2025 • Podcast
Values, Realism, and U.S. Foreign Policy, with Alexander Vindman
Alexander Vindman joins "Values & Interests" to discuss the critical interplay between morality and power in the practice of geopolitics.
Related Initiatives
Ethics & International Affairs Journal
Ethics & International Affairs is the quarterly journal of Carnegie Council. It aims to close the gap between the theory and practice of ethics.
Model International Mobility Convention
The primary goal of the Model International Mobility Convention (MIMC) is to formulate new rules for migration and asylum that can benefit both migrants and refugees as well as their states of origin, transit, and destination.
Explore Our Foreign Policy Resources
OCT 24, 2008 • Podcast
Global Ethics Corner: McCain and Obama: The Public Diplomacy Dance
The presidential candidates assert that America must renew its global moral authority, but they dance, offering no solutions. Let's take a closer look.
OCT 17, 2008 • Podcast
Global Ethics Corner: U.S. Elections and World Opinion
Should the opinions of the world be important in American elections? This is a crucial question in applied ethics as we choose a president.
OCT 14, 2008 • Podcast
The Freedom Agenda: Why America Must Spread Democracy (Just Not the Way George Bush Did)
According to James Traub, although Bush bungled his famous Freedom Agenda—that American liberty is dependent on liberty in other lands—the concept still holds ...
OCT 1, 2008 • Podcast
Striking First: Preemption and Prevention in International Conflict
Is the Bush Doctrine of aggressive preventive action a justified and legal recourse against threats posed by terrorists and rogue states? Does the United States ...
SEP 25, 2008 • Article
Public Diplomacy and the 2008 Election
Hidden in the U.S. presidential election is the promise of a renewed emphasis on public diplomacy. But how will America renew a lost love ...
SEP 18, 2008 • Podcast
Public Ethics Radio: Jessica Wolfendale on Torture Lite
We now know that the U.S. officially sanctions and regularly employs interrogation tactics that push legal and moral boundaries. In this episode, Jessica Wolfendale ...
JUL 11, 2008 • Podcast
The Rise of the Rest II: How the Ascent of Russia and China Affects Global Business and Security
From economic growth to cultural exports, the global distribution of power is shifting from "the West" to the rest of the world. This panel addresses ...
JUN 9, 2008 • Podcast
Descent into Chaos: The United States and the Failure of Nation Building in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia
"Almost every single important extremist leader is living on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan," says Ahmed Rashid. Compared to this threat, Iraq is a ...
MAY 29, 2008 • Article
AN ENGAGING OUTLOOK: A New Foundation for U.S. Foreign Policy
A new U.S. foreign policy based on cooperation and engagement is not just morally appealing, but strategically smart, declares David Speedie.
MAY 22, 2008 • Podcast
A Choice of Enemies: America Confronts the Middle East
Looking back over the last 30 years, historian Sir Lawrence Freedman analyzes the complex politics of the Middle East and shows how America's policy choices in ...