Transformational Leadership And American Foreign Policy: A Preliminary Analysis

Foreign policy is usually over-determined. The “national interest” often appears to be an immutable dictation of the international system and of domestic politics. As Henry Kissinger put it when he was Secretary of State, “the essential outlines of U.S. policy will remain the same no matter who wins the U.S. Presidential election” (Wittkopf, 2003, 524). Yet sometimes, “reality” is more malleable than it first appears. Not so long ago, it seemed “unimaginable” that the Soviet Union would disappear and Germany would be peacefully reunited. As former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft put it in 2003, the main divisions in foreign policy today are not between liberals and conservatives, but between the traditionalists and the transformationalists.1 The transformationalists believe that “we know what has to be done and have the power to do it. What has to be done is to transform the Middle East into a collection of democracies. That will bring peace and stability” (Rothkopf, 2005, 428). Transformational leadership has become a central part of the current debate about American foreign policy

Preface and Chapter Five “Soft power and American foreign policy”, in Soft Power, Public Affairs, New Hampshire, 2004, ps. IX-XIII y 127-147

El presente fragmento de la famosa obra del profesor Nye, nos introduce en el concepto y repercusiones del poder blando. Definido como “la habilidad de obtener lo que quieres a través de la atracción antes que a través de la coerción o de las recompensas”, este concepto tiene una gran relevancia para la política exterior de Estados Unidos. Tras exponer las diferentes corrientes de la política exterior americana y las consecuencias negativas que para la misma tuvo el hecho de malgastar este tipo de poder durante la Guerra de Irak, Nye subraya la necesidad de utilizar conjuntamente tanto del poder duro como del poder blando, con lo que quedará conformado un nuevo concepto de poder, el poder inteligenteThis fragment of Professor´s Nye famous book introduces the concept and the repercussions of the soft power. Defined as “the ability to get what you want through attraction rather than coercion or payments”, it is of great relevance for the foreign policy of the United States. After exposing the different American foreign policy traditions and the negative consequences of the waste of this kind of power during the Iraq War, Nye underlines the need of using hard power as well as soft power, shaping a new concept of power, the Smart Powe

Political Leadership and Global Governance: Structural Power Versus Custodial Stewardship

This article examines the role of political leadership within the realm of global governance. Drawing upon relevant theories of political agency, particular attention is given to addressing the relationship between leadership and collective action. A two-level analysis of institution building in relation to maritime security and economic trade and investment reveals both strengths and weaknesses in practice. A review of the Law of the Sea Convention and the Multilateral Investment Agreement provides a salutary reminder that material power does not translate easily into dominating the rules of international conduct. The cases of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum and the Trans-Pacific Partnership further highlight the importance of mixed sources of political leadership in responding to economic challenges at the regional level. The policy implication for both the United States and China is that taking the lead in Global Governance, either jointly or multilaterally, will require a renewed focus upon custodial stewardship that aims to realign interests with long-term goals

Minimal Symptom Expression' in Patients With Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody-Positive Refractory Generalized Myasthenia Gravis Treated With Eculizumab

The efficacy and tolerability of eculizumab were assessed in REGAIN, a 26-week, phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive (AChR+) refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), and its open-label extension