Thucydides is thought to be the first and greatest teacher of power—who taught that might makes right and that wars begin as a consequence of fear. Thinkers from Thomas Hobbes to proponents of modern “realist” schools of international relations invoke his name. But what are his teachings, exactly? And what can he tell us about modern warfare? In this workshop, candidates will study Thucydides’s great history of the Peloponnesian War with a series of foundational questions in mind: What is the nature of power, and of war? How do wars start? What role do domestic politics and “ideology” play in foreign policy? In our discussions and final simulation, we will explore if his actual teachings are applicable to current grand strategic dilemmas—and if so, how.
Seminar Modules:
Program Overview
The Hudson Institute Political Studies Policy Certificate Program gathers talented early and mid-career professionals for advanced study of public policy and national security led by policy experts and experienced government officials. The program aims to give participants practical knowledge of key policy areas while demanding creative thought and strategic decision-making. Each workshop covers a distinct region or topic ranging across American foreign and domestic policy area. By participating in policy analysis and critical discussion, candidates will gain new access to the topic at hand.
Candidates participate free of charge. Final applications are due by November 3.
You can find further information and apply here.
Please join Hudson Institute for a fireside chat with Senior Fellow and Keystone Defense Initiative Director Rebeccah Heinrichs and John Spencer, chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point and co-director of the Urban Warfare Project.
Join Hudson Institute and the Ben Franklin Fellowship for a two-panel discussion examining US policy as it confronts the crisis of terror in Nigeria.
Join Hudson Institute's Center for the Economics of the Internet for a keynote address given by Tricia Paoletta on the Trump administration's progress in managing and reallocating the electromagnetic radio frequency spectrum from the federal domain.
Join Hudson Institute for a discussion with Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson and Senior Fellow Harold Furchtgott-Roth.
