The Atlantic Realists: Empireand International Political Thought Between Germany and the United States

Matthew Specter's The Atlantic Realists offers a revisionist interpretation of realism, tracing its origins to a century-long dialogue between American and German intellectuals. It challenges the common view of realism as a set of universally binding truths and reveals an Atlantic realist tradition of reflection on empire and power politics.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 08 February 2022
Publisher: Stanford University Press

In his groundbreaking work, "The Atlantic Realists," intellectual historian Matthew Specter presents a daring reinterpretation of realism, a prevailing perspective in post-World War II US foreign policy and public discourse, as well as the dominant international relations theory during the Cold War. Contrary to the conventional understanding of realism as a collection of immutable facts about international relations, Specter contends that its fundamental aspects emerged through a century-long exchange between American and German intellectuals that commenced in the late 19th century. Through his meticulous exploration, Specter unveils an Atlantic realist tradition of introspection on the privileges of empire and the intricacies of power politics, shaped by the fin de siècle rivalry between imperial powers, the two world wars, the Holocaust, and the Cold War. By delving into the lives and ideas of key figures in the evolution of realist thought, such as Carl Schmitt, Hans Morgenthau, and Wilhelm Grewe, this book offers a comprehensive account of the development of the realist worldview over a century, debunking misconceptions about national interest, Realpolitik, and the art of statesmanship.

In his groundbreaking work, "The Atlantic Realists," intellectual historian Matthew Specter presents a daring reinterpretation of realism, a prevailing perspective in post-World War II US foreign policy and public discourse, as well as the dominant international relations theory during the Cold War. Contrary to the conventional understanding of realism as a collection of immutable facts about international relations, Specter contends that its fundamental aspects emerged through a century-long exchange between American and German intellectuals that commenced in the late 19th century. Through his meticulous exploration, Specter unveils an Atlantic realist tradition of introspection on the privileges of empire and the intricacies of power politics, shaped by the fin de siècle rivalry between imperial powers, the two world wars, the Holocaust, and the Cold War. By delving into the lives and ideas of key figures in the evolution of realist thought, such as Carl Schmitt, Hans Morgenthau, and Wilhelm Grewe, this book offers a comprehensive account of the development of the realist worldview over a century, debunking misconceptions about national interest, Realpolitik, and the art of statesmanship.

Weight: 526g
Dimension: 153 x 229 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781503629967