Chaos in the Liberal Order ― The Trump Presidency and International Politics in the Twenty-first Century

Donald Trump’s election has called into question many fundamental assumptions about politics and society. Should the forty-fifth president of the United States make us reconsider the nature and future of the global order? Collecting a wide range of perspectives from leading political scientists, historians, and international-relations scholars, Chaos in the Liberal Order explores the global trends that led to Trump’s stunning victory and the impact his presidency will have on the international political landscape.

Contributors situate Trump among past foreign policy upheavals and enduring models for global governance, seeking to understand how and why he departs from precedents and norms. The book considers key issues, such as what Trump means for America’s role in the world; the relationship between domestic and international politics; and Trump’s place in the rise of the far right worldwide. It poses challenging questions, including: Does Trump’s election signal the downfall of the liberal order or unveil its resilience? What is the importance of individual leaders for the international system, and to what extent is Trump an outlier? Is there a Trump doctrine, or is America’s president fundamentally impulsive and scattershot? The book considers the effects of Trump’s presidency on trends in human rights, international alliances, and regional conflicts. With provocative contributions from prominent figures such as Stephen M. Walt, Andrew J. Bacevich, and Samuel Moyn, this timely collection brings much-needed expert perspectives on our tumultuous era.

Robert Jervis is the Adlai E. Stevenson Professor of International Politics at Columbia University. His books include How Statesmen Think: The Psychology of International Politics (2017). He is the executive editor of the International Security Studies Forum.

Francis J. Gavin is the Giovanni Agnelli Distinguished Professor and the inaugural director of the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. His books include Nuclear Statecraft: History and Strategy in America's Atomic Age (2012).

Joshua Rovner is associate professor in the School of International Service at American University. His books include Fixing the Facts: National Security and the Politics of Intelligence (2011).

Diane Labrosse is the National Security Archive H-Diplo Fellow and the H-Diplo executive and managing editor. She is also the senior managing editor of the International Security Studies Forum.