Statecraft 2.0: What America Needs to Lead in a Multipolar World

The United States remains a leading global power, but it now faces real challenges at both international and regional levels. The unipolar world that followed the Cold War is gone, and in an environment where the U.S. has diminished relative power, Washington no longer has the luxury of practicing statecraft poorly.

In the Director’s Lecture Series, Ambassador Dennis Ross and Baker Institute Director Ambassador David Satterfield will examine why U.S. foreign policy has so often failed to align objectives with means. Together, they will host a discussion of the evolution of American statecraft, the most pressing challenges facing policymakers today, and how the U.S. can, and must, meet this moment. Drawing on insights from his new book, “Statecraft 2.0: What America Needs to Lead in a Multipolar World” (Oxford University Press, 2025), Ambassador Ross will examine how lessons from the past can inform more effective policymaking in the years ahead.

Books will be available for purchase and signing.

This event is free and open to the public.

Host or Publisher Rice University's Baker Institute