First Among Equals: U.S. Foreign Policy in a Multipolar World [Hardcover]

A fresh, concise roadmap for U.S. grand strategy in a multipolar world

For the past thirty years, postCold War triumphalism and a desire to reshape the world have defined U.S. foreign policy. But the failures of the global war on terror, the return of conflict to Europe, and growing tensions with China all suggest that this approach to the world is flawed. For the United Statesthe country that has ruled the international system largely alone since 1991this moment is particularly perilous. Can policymakers adapt American foreign policy to better fit the twenty-first century, and in doing so avoid the pitfalls and excesses of the past three decades?

In this book, Emma Ashford proposes a return to a more pragmatic, realist set of strategic principles, ones better suited for the emerging multipolar world, that would pursue narrower U.S. interests, cultivate the capabilities of friendly states, and emphasize room for maneuver over rigid alliances. In this she provides a valuable counterpoint to todays liberal internationalist consensus, as well as a road map for policymakers who seek to change the course of U.S. foreign policy.

AnEngelsberg IdeasBook of the Year 2025

Impressive. . . . Ashfords taxonomy is an important contribution. By contrasting foreign policy positions in terms of a few core assumptions, she suggests paths for constructive dialogue among competing factions.Stacie E. Goddard,Foreign Affairs

Thought-provoking.Sumantra Maitra,Engelsberg Ideas

[A] valuable new book. . . . Ashford has done an excellent job in mapping out what a better, more restrained strategy would look like in practice. U.S. policymakers would do well to read this book and follow her recommendations.Daniel Larison,Responsible Statecraft

Every so often a book comes along that slices through comforting illusions and forces readers to face the world as it is. Emma AshfordsFirstlÓw