The Idea That Is America - by Anne-Marie Slaughter (Paperback)

About the Book

A leading voice in global affairs calls us back to America's founding principles--and shows how they can guide us forward into the twenty-first century

Book Synopsis

The Washington Post Book World named The Idea That This is America one of the best books of 2007

When Army Captain Ian Fishback decided to blow the whistle on prisoner abuse in Iraq and Afghanistan, he posed the central question facing America in the new century: "Will we confront danger in order to preserve our ideals, or will courage and commitment to individual rights wither at the prospect of sacrifice? . . . I would rather die fighting than give up even the smallest part of the idea that is 'America.' "But what is this idea? George W. Bush waged war in Iraq in the name of American values -- liberty and democracy. His critics in the United States and around the world also use the language of values, and attack him for deceiving a nation to wage an unjust war. What are the values that America truly stands for? In The Idea That Is America, a preeminent foreign policy scholar eloquently reminds us of the essential principles on which our nation was established: liberty, democracy, equality, tolerance, faith, justice, and humility. Our ongoing struggle to live up to America's great promise matters not only to us, but also to the billions of men and women everywhere who look to the United States to lead, protect, and inspire the world. In The Idea That Is America, Anne-Marie Slaughter shows us the way forward.

Review Quotes

"Anne-Marie Slaughter is that rare scholar who is fully engaged with the issues she studies and passionate about the causes she believes in. It makes for a formidable person and a fascinating perspective on global affairs." -- Fareed Zakaria

"Anne-Marie Slaughter's voice is at the center of twenty-first century foreign policy leaders: strategic yet practical, willing to understand others but not afraid of power, a builder of international institutions and law as a way to get things done in an intractable world. What she says from now on matters enormously across the political spectrum." -- Leslie H. Gelb

"When it comes to thinking about, and explaining, America's role in the world at a time of incredible challenge and change, Anne-Marie Slaughter is one of this country's most valuable players. She brings the discipline of a leading academic together with keen political insight. I greatly value her advice." -- Joe Biden

About the Author

Anne-Marie Slaughter is the Dean of the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton and Bert G. Kerstetter Professor of Politics and International Affairs. Former President of the American Society of International Law, she is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and serves on the board of the Council on Foreign Relations. She is the recipient of the 2007 Thomas Jefferson Award for excellence in the field of law.

Dean Slaughter lives in Princeton, New Jersey.