Profiles

The Truth Warrior

John Mearsheimer, a leading US scholar on international relations, has strong views on political issues from the Middle East to Iraq but until now, the establishment has been slow to listen.

He spoke to Antony Loewenstein.

John Mearsheimer, unlike Paul Wolfowitz and fellow neoconservatives, knows something about warfare. Before he became a professor of political science and a leading scholar on international relations, Mearsheimer graduated from West Point military academy in 1970 and served five years as an officer in the US Air Force.

Today, in foreign policy circles, he is known for his 'offensive realist' position, which, according to him, means he argues against human nature being a determinant in global affairs. Rather, he argues that security competition among great powers is the reason behind chaos in the international system.

From the Archive — Modern China: Handle With Care

Obama and Beijing need a relationship that works or the world is in big trouble, says James Fallows, the new Chair in US media in the US Studies Centre.

He spoke to Anthony Anderton in Beijing

Getting China right has never been more important for Australia. We are now acutely aware of China’s critical role in our economic prosperity. Yet there is considerable uncertainty about the rise of China and what this means for Australia and our region. How, for example, should we interpret and respond to China’s growing military and strategic influence in our region? What about Chinese ownership of our resource assets?