THE FOREIGN POLICY INSTITUTE

Vali Nasr, FPI Chairman and SAIS Dean

 

Tell us a little about yourself. How did you get involved in Foreign Policy issues?

Throughout my career, I have been an academic. I studied political science with a focus on the Middle East and the role of Islam in politics, working with issues of direct interest to policymakers. Throughout my training as an academic, I was increasingly asked to provide briefing advice to Congress and others in the foreign policy establishment. After 9/11, and then during the Iraq War, managing the Middle East became more central to American foreign policy. I became more engaged in both public and policymaking debates on these issues. As I continued this academic work, I also became more engaged in discussions on how the United States should manage the Middle East. For example, what are key issues that American foreign policymakers need to know about the role of Islam? The Middle East was fraught with religious debate and discussion, which increasingly conditioned the region’s action toward the U.S.

 

You have studied and worked at many of the world’s greatest foreign policy institutions. What sets SAIS apart?

There are a number of key things about SAIS that sets it apart from other institutions. The first is its legacy. Johns Hopkins SAIS is an institution that was created to train the next generation of foreign policy leaders. It has trained over 17,000 professionals who have gone to very specific foreign policy careers across the world. This institution has produced over 140 ambassadors, along with equally important foreign policy professionals in other agencies of the U.S. Government and abroad. There are also many alumni who, while not necessarily pursuing a career in foreign policy, have taken their knowledge of foreign policy gained from SAIS into nongovernmental organizations, and also the private sector. This legacy is very important. Next, SAIS has a unique global footprint. It is situated in the most important foreign policy city in the world. Not only is SAIS based in Washington, DC, but it is in heart of the foreign policy corridor, from the White House to think tank alley. We also have campuses in Europe and China, two other important and globally strategic locations. Beyond these three campuses, SAIS has a broader set of partnerships all around the world. Lastly, SAIS has a very unique curriculum. It combines a robust focus on economics with functional areas of foreign policy and global affairs. These programs of study place great emphasis on international economics with a depth of studies of different regions of the world. This combination is very unique and best geared to address the world’s complexities.

 

SAIS hosts an abundance of prominent world leaders and incredible events, many through the Foreign Policy Institute. What do you see as the benefit for the SAIS community of these events?

I see this benefit as twofold. First of all, students, faculty, and staff at SAIS have a front row seat to history. At SAIS we continuously engage world leaders, foreign policy makers, business leaders, etc. Our events provide the opportunity to engage these leaders in not only learning about foreign policy issues but also contributing to the conversation. Next, the primary mission of SAIS is to educate the next generation of world leaders, both in and outside the classroom. Exposing students to world leaders and foreign policy heavyweights is part of this mission. A school like SAIS also has a mission of thought leadership. SAIS has convening power, intellectual capital, and an ability to build a bridge between academia and policymaking. The SAIS environment allows the influence of student thinking to make a contribution to foreign policy thinking. This is why many world leaders come to SAIS. In turn, SAIS is an appropriate forum for engaging in important foreign policy conversations.

 

During your time at SAIS, what has been one of your most memorable moments, events, or achievements?

It is very difficult to choose one because it has been a fruitful four years that I have spent at SAIS. I have been educated and elated through interactions with students, as they bring a great deal of diversity through their various experiences, cultures, interests, and ambitions for the future. This has been hugely enlightening for me. SAIS has provided the opportunity to continue my own education. I have learned about new areas of the world I had previously not had engagement with, along with new topics brought by students, faculty, and programs. It has provided my colleagues and me with an opportunity to think more broadly, on where the world is going and what our students need. In the past four years, there have been many world leaders who have come through SAIS and many events, from discussions on refugees to global finance to challenges facing American foreign policy, each unique in their own regard.

 

What do you see as the most important current foreign policy issue that the United States is facing?

We are currently in a situation where the fundamental rules of the game and the institutional foundations of international affairs are in the throes of change. First of all, there has emerged a different face to China and Russia than the one we have been familiar with. Nationalism and regional ambition for both of these countries are new challenges we have not encountered previously. Next, we are seeing as a challenge a weakening of Europe. We are facing a Europe that may be shrinking and playing a smaller role in global affairs due to the changing situation on the continent. Most importantly, on a macro level we have seen a slowing down or reversal of the globalization trend as a whole. For a long time we thought it was an unstoppable trend or a self-evident good but we are seeing it slow down. This is due to a lack of the economic underpinnings and a rise of protectionism seen within Brexit, rightwing Europe, and the U.S. presidential election. This resurgence of nationalism on a political level is challenging our previous notions of globalization. Free trade and an integration of the international order were thought to be the underpinning of prosperity, democracy, and global peace. If this fundamental is not self-evident, then we need to rethink things. We are not just seeing a lot of different conflicts coming together at the same time, rather we are seeing a shift in the way things are in the international order. This is going to be a huge challenge for the U.S.

 

Do you have any advice for SAIS students who are currently working to build their careers in issues related to foreign policy?

Foreign policy in one way or another is a growth industry, as this turning inward and protectionism are likely to keep us engaged in foreign policy. Knowledge of the world is critical, not only for people going into government positions but also those working with NGOs, business, and the private sector. Understanding the complexities I have spoken of, having a deep knowledge of key regions of the globe, and appreciating the different trends of the world and different actors are critical. A SAIS education is in the vein of what foreign policy leaders need to operate in the world. The key that will set SAIS students apart and will become the basis of success is for students to be able to bring together what they learn at SAIS to understand and operate in a complex environment.

 

As reported by Ashley Patton, Graduate Research and Web Assistant, FPI