A new essay by SIWPS Director Richard Betts appears in the 30th anniversary issue of the National Interest.

“Realism Is an Attitude, Not a Doctrine” looks at the applicability of realism to today’s foreign policy challenges. Delving into the consequentialist moral principles that inform realist thought, Betts rejects the notion of realism as a homogeneous, absolute theory and questions its prescriptive ability when it comes to consistent strategic policy.

Noted Washington Post opinion writer E.J. Dionne, Jr., in his latest column for the Post, “Iran and the case for realism,” cites Betts’s feature as an important starting point for any discussion of realism’s place in President Obama’s foreign policy.

Read Dr. Betts’s piece on the National Interest website.