Joel H. Rosenthal is president of Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs. As a nonprofit leader, scholar, and teacher he works to empower ethical action, with a particular focus on U.S. foreign policy, issues of war and peace, human rights, and pluralism. At Carnegie Council, Rosenthal leads a team that identifies critical ethical issues, convenes experts, and produces agenda-setting resources to educate and activate communities globally.
Rosenthal is editor-in-chief of the Ethics & International Affairs journal published by Cambridge University Press. His first book Righteous Realists is an examination of the political realists who shaped post-WWII America in the nuclear age, including Hans Morgenthau, Reinhold Niebuhr, and George Kennan. His current writing and commentary can be found at the President’s Desk.
Rosenthal is the recipient of numerous awards including the Distinguished Scholar Award from the International Studies Association for his lifetime achievement in international studies and an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Social Science from the University of Edinburgh. He received his Ph.D. from Yale University and BA from Harvard University.
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Featured Work
JUN 16, 2004 • Podcast
1912: Wilson, Roosevelt, Taft and Debs: The Election That Changed the Country
James Chace looks back at the 1912 presidential elections and their effect on U.S. foreign policy.
MAY 6, 2004 • Article
From the Margins to the Mainstream: A Blueprint for Ethics and International Affairs
For me, the way into the study of ethics and international affairs begins with the concept of choice. Ethics is a reflection on the choices ...
MAY 6, 2004 • Article
Feature Articles from Inprint Newsletter (2001–2004): From the Margins to the Mainstream: A Blueprint for Ethics and International Affairs
"For me, the way into the study of ethics and international affairs begins with the concept of choice", says Rosenthal. "Ethics is a reflection on ...
MAR 4, 2004 • Article
From Andrew Carnegie to Hans Morgenthau: A Lesson in Ethics and International Affairs
Carnegie and Morgenthau make an instructive pairing. Carnegie, an idealist, stood for “never again war,” while Morgenthau stood for “never again genocide.” Nobody wants to ...
MAR 4, 2004 • Article
Feature Articles from Inprint Newsletter (2001–2004): From Andrew Carnegie to Hans Morgenthau
Carnegie and Morgenthau make an instructive pair, explains Council President Joel Rosenthal. Carnegie, an idealist, stood for "never again war," while Morgenthau stood for "never ...
MAR 2, 2004 • Transcript
The Future of Humanitarianism
Kouchner argues that the globalization of compassion and human rights is a sign of substantial moral progress that can count some successes--most notably, in Kosovo ...
AUG 19, 2003 • Article
Shall We Call It An Empire?
The projection of American power inspires the great debate of our time. Is the United States a twenty-first century empire, and if so, what kind? ...
AUG 19, 2003 • Article
Feature Articles from Inprint Newsletter (2001–2004): Shall We Call It An Empire?
The projection of American power inspires the great debate of our time. Is the United States a twenty-first century empire, and if so, what kind? ...
MAY 1, 2003 • Transcript
The Dignity of Difference: How to Avoid the Clash of Civilizations
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks hopes that mankind can develop a doctrine of peaceful coexistence grounded in religious texts common to Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
APR 22, 2003 • Article
A New Turn in the New War
The war on terrorism began with moral clarity and a widely accepted road map for immediate action. For eighteen months there was strong international consensus ...