A Dialectic of Containment: Where Did All The Great Powers Go?

Type: 
Seminar
Audience: 
Open to the Public
Building: 
Nador u. 9, Faculty Tower
Room: 
309
Academic Area: 
Wednesday, November 19, 2014 - 3:30pm
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Date: 
Wednesday, November 19, 2014 - 3:30pm

Ukrainian crisis has prompted speculation about the need to contain Russia and thus led to renewed interest in the writings of George Kennan, the author of the original containment doctrine. However, even prior to the current discussion many had argued that containment attempted by the US in the early stages of the Cold War had little to do with Kennan`s original idea. Today, a closer look at that idea suggests that its practical implementation may be even more problematic. For one, it is premised on the recognition of the Soviet Union as a great power; recognition today`s Russia is forcefully denied. This leads to the main question of the talk: why is it that the very idea of great power has grown so unpopular recently?