The Global Era and the End of Foreign Policy

The world is so connected, with greater wealth and power overall, that foreign policy has shifted from adjusting relations between states to convincing states to adjust internal policies, explains Philip Zelikow, professor and former US State Department counselor, in an essay for the Financial Times. The most pressing modern challenges, like climate change, cybersecurity, famines or terrorism, are, in essence, borderless and shared worries. Nations that refuse to abide by best practices can quickly create problems for neighboring states. Achieving cross-border solutions often requires high-level expertise and specialists, and technical policy negotiations cannot be left in the hands of national leaders and generalists who focus on sovereignty. “[F]oreign policy need not recede,” he writes. “Instead, foreign policies should focus on how to harmonise ‘domestic’ policies.” Hard economic times should not discourage international interactions, Zelikow argues. Instead tight budgets offer an opportunity for government and industry employees at every level to strive for a common agenda that seeks global renewal. – YaleGlobal