Date: Tuesday, November 10
Start Time: 6:00pm ET
In The Realist: Hans Morgenthau and the Purpose of American Power, the first full-scale biography of the political thinker, David Sacks explores how the collapse of the Weimar Republic and the rise of Nazism shaped Morgenthau’s understanding of world affairs. The book traces his efforts to reconcile authority with ethics and his belief that power could be used to improve human conditions.
Please join us on November 10 at 6:00pm ET for a conversation between Sacks and Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal, whose own book Righteous Realists examined how Morgenthau and other postwar realists confronted the ethical questions of the nuclear age. Together, they will discuss Morgenthau’s legacy and the continued relevance of his work.
The event will feature a 60-minute panel discussion and audience Q&A.
Speakers:
-
Joel Rosenthal, President, Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs
-
David Sacks, Author, The Realist: Hans Morgenthau and the Purpose of American Power
Register for the event
David Sacks
David Sacks is a fellow for Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and the author of The Realist: Hans Morgenthau and the Purpose of American Power, the first full biography of the pioneering political philosopher and father of realism. In addition to studying the life and writings of Hans Morgenthau, Sacks is an expert on U.S.-China relations, U.S.-Taiwan relations, Chinese foreign policy, and cross-Strait relations. In 2023, Sacks served as the project director for CFR’s Independent Task Force on U.S.-Taiwan Relations, which was chaired by Admiral (ret.) Michael G. Mullen and Susan M. Gordon. He also co-directed CFR’s Independent Task Force on China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which was chaired by Jacob J. Lew and Admiral (ret.) Gary Roughead. His writings have appeared in Foreign Affairs, The National Interest, Time, The Diplomat, The Hill, and the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs. He received his MA in international relations and international economics, with honors, from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). At SAIS, he was the recipient of the A. Doak Barnett Award, given annually to the most distinguished China Studies graduate. Mr. Sacks received his BA in political science, magna cum laude, from Carleton College.
Featuring Avril Haines
Avril Haines was sworn in as the Director of National Intelligence on January 21, 2021. She is the seventh Senate-confirmed DNI in our nation’s history and the first woman to lead the U.S. Intelligence Community. Director Haines has deep national security experience. During the Obama administration, she served as Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy National Security Advisor from 2015-2017, during which time she led the National Security Council’s Deputies Committee. From 2013-2015, Haines was the Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. She was the first woman to hold both of these positions.