-
International Relations 101: The Definitive Audio Course on America's Foreign Policy
- Narrated by: Robert K. Brigham
- Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $20.00
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Publisher's summary
Follow acclaimed history professor and American foreign policy expert Robert K. Brigham, PhD, on a trek across the globe to explore the dramatic events that shaped America and the world.
The great American experiment is one of the most remarkable achievements in the history of civilization. How did America transform from a scrappy collection of British colonies into a global superpower? Through vivid accounts and insightful analysis, Prof. Brigham shows you that America’s ascent into world leadership was neither preordained nor accidental. Rather, from its very beginnings, American foreign policy has been central to the country’s national identity. While the Founding Fathers used foreign relations to secure the young republic’s political experiment, subsequent leaders have consistently wielded American power to ensure the country’s prosperity and security.
As Prof. Brigham ably demonstrates in 24 riveting lectures, America’s role on the world stage has rarely been uncomplicated. Americans have always debated their place in foreign affairs - their wars, their commitments, their interests - and challenged others’ perception of the nation’s power. In fact, few issues have divided policy makers and the American public more than US foreign policy.
This course is part of the Learn25 collection.
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
International Relations Theories
- Discipline and Diversity, 5th Edition
- By: Tim Dunne - editor, Milja Kurki - editor, Steve Smith - editor
- Narrated by: Grant Cartwright
- Length: 22 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bringing together the most influential scholars in the field, the fifth edition of this best-selling book provides unrivaled coverage of international relations theories and arguments.
-
-
Best intro book for internationl affairs theories
- By LJ on 02-24-23
By: Tim Dunne - editor, and others
-
The Four Ages of American Foreign Policy
- Weak Power, Great Power, Superpower, Hyperpower
- By: Michael Mandelbaum
- Narrated by: Lyle Blaker
- Length: 18 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Four Ages of American Foreign Policy, Michael Mandelbaum offers a new framework for understanding the evolution of the foreign policy of the United States. He divides that evolution into four distinct periods, with each defined by the consistent increase in American power relative to other countries. His history of the four periods features engaging accounts of the major events and important personalities in the foreign policy of each era.
-
-
Expectations are everything
- By Patristics Guy on 08-07-23
-
Career Diplomacy
- Life and Work in the US Foreign Service (Fourth Edition)
- By: Harry W. Kopp, John K. Naland
- Narrated by: BJ Harrison
- Length: 11 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Career Diplomacy takes listeners inside the world of American diplomats in the US Foreign Service. Members of the Foreign Service represent the country abroad, protect and support American citizens overseas, manage government programs and facilities, and move foreign policy from the abstract to the actual.
-
-
Great book, but biased.
- By Troy on 09-02-22
By: Harry W. Kopp, and others
-
America in the World
- A History of U.S. Diplomacy and Foreign Policy
- By: Robert B. Zoellick
- Narrated by: Brian Troxell
- Length: 24 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Recounting the actors and events of US foreign policy, Zoellick identifies five traditions that have emerged from America's encounters with the world: the importance of North America; the special roles trading, transnational, and technological relations play in defining ties with others; changing attitudes toward alliances and ways of ordering connections among states; the need for public support, especially through Congress; and the belief that American policy should serve a larger purpose.
-
-
Interesting
- By Deeni A Alqadasi on 08-17-22
-
Diplomacy
- By: Henry Kissinger
- Narrated by: Paul Woodson
- Length: 37 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Moving from a sweeping overview of history to blow-by-blow accounts of his negotiations with world leaders, Henry Kissinger describes how the art of diplomacy has created the world in which we live, and how America's approach to foreign affairs has always differed vastly from that of other nations. Brilliant, controversial, and profoundly incisive, Diplomacy stands as the culmination of a lifetime of diplomatic service and scholarship. It is a must-listen for anyone concerned with the forces that have shaped our world today and will impact upon it tomorrow.
-
-
Great foreign policy overview!
- By Mikhail on 02-02-20
By: Henry Kissinger
-
How States Think
- The Rationality of Foreign Policy
- By: John J. Mearsheimer, Sebastian Rosato
- Narrated by: Mack Sanderson
- Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
To understand world politics, you need to understand how states think. Are states rational? Much of international relations theory assumes that they are. But many scholars believe that political leaders rarely act rationally. The issue is crucial for both the study and practice of international politics. John J. Mearsheimer and Sebastian Rosato argue that rational decisions in international politics rest on credible theories about how the world works and emerge from deliberative decision‑making processes.
-
-
2hours of content crammed into 8 hours of listening
- By Al from Virginia on 02-04-24
By: John J. Mearsheimer, and others
-
International Relations Theories
- Discipline and Diversity, 5th Edition
- By: Tim Dunne - editor, Milja Kurki - editor, Steve Smith - editor
- Narrated by: Grant Cartwright
- Length: 22 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bringing together the most influential scholars in the field, the fifth edition of this best-selling book provides unrivaled coverage of international relations theories and arguments.
-
-
Best intro book for internationl affairs theories
- By LJ on 02-24-23
By: Tim Dunne - editor, and others
-
The Four Ages of American Foreign Policy
- Weak Power, Great Power, Superpower, Hyperpower
- By: Michael Mandelbaum
- Narrated by: Lyle Blaker
- Length: 18 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Four Ages of American Foreign Policy, Michael Mandelbaum offers a new framework for understanding the evolution of the foreign policy of the United States. He divides that evolution into four distinct periods, with each defined by the consistent increase in American power relative to other countries. His history of the four periods features engaging accounts of the major events and important personalities in the foreign policy of each era.
-
-
Expectations are everything
- By Patristics Guy on 08-07-23
-
Career Diplomacy
- Life and Work in the US Foreign Service (Fourth Edition)
- By: Harry W. Kopp, John K. Naland
- Narrated by: BJ Harrison
- Length: 11 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Career Diplomacy takes listeners inside the world of American diplomats in the US Foreign Service. Members of the Foreign Service represent the country abroad, protect and support American citizens overseas, manage government programs and facilities, and move foreign policy from the abstract to the actual.
-
-
Great book, but biased.
- By Troy on 09-02-22
By: Harry W. Kopp, and others
-
America in the World
- A History of U.S. Diplomacy and Foreign Policy
- By: Robert B. Zoellick
- Narrated by: Brian Troxell
- Length: 24 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Recounting the actors and events of US foreign policy, Zoellick identifies five traditions that have emerged from America's encounters with the world: the importance of North America; the special roles trading, transnational, and technological relations play in defining ties with others; changing attitudes toward alliances and ways of ordering connections among states; the need for public support, especially through Congress; and the belief that American policy should serve a larger purpose.
-
-
Interesting
- By Deeni A Alqadasi on 08-17-22
-
Diplomacy
- By: Henry Kissinger
- Narrated by: Paul Woodson
- Length: 37 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Moving from a sweeping overview of history to blow-by-blow accounts of his negotiations with world leaders, Henry Kissinger describes how the art of diplomacy has created the world in which we live, and how America's approach to foreign affairs has always differed vastly from that of other nations. Brilliant, controversial, and profoundly incisive, Diplomacy stands as the culmination of a lifetime of diplomatic service and scholarship. It is a must-listen for anyone concerned with the forces that have shaped our world today and will impact upon it tomorrow.
-
-
Great foreign policy overview!
- By Mikhail on 02-02-20
By: Henry Kissinger
-
How States Think
- The Rationality of Foreign Policy
- By: John J. Mearsheimer, Sebastian Rosato
- Narrated by: Mack Sanderson
- Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
To understand world politics, you need to understand how states think. Are states rational? Much of international relations theory assumes that they are. But many scholars believe that political leaders rarely act rationally. The issue is crucial for both the study and practice of international politics. John J. Mearsheimer and Sebastian Rosato argue that rational decisions in international politics rest on credible theories about how the world works and emerge from deliberative decision‑making processes.
-
-
2hours of content crammed into 8 hours of listening
- By Al from Virginia on 02-04-24
By: John J. Mearsheimer, and others
-
International Relations
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Christian Reus-Smit
- Narrated by: Johnathan Rufus Welsh
- Length: 4 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
International relations affects everyone's lives: their security, economic well-being, rights and freedoms, and the environment they share. Recently we have seen the transformation from a world of empires to today's world of sovereign states, which are enmeshed in a complex array of international institutions, all exercising degrees of political authority. The new global organization of political authority has far-reaching consequences. This audiobook untangles this complex world, providing an accessible framework for understanding the contours of global political change.
-
-
Short on IR, long on writer's opinion
- By Patrick Mullane on 10-09-24
-
American Foreign Relations
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Andrew Preston
- Narrated by: Keith Sellon-Wright
- Length: 4 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For better or worse - be it militarily, politically, economically, technologically, or culturally - Americans have had a profound role in shaping the wider world beyond them. The United States has been a savior to some, a curse to others, but either way such views are often based on a caricature of American actions and intentions. American foreign relations, then, is a subject of immense global importance that provokes strong emotions and much debate, but often based on deep misunderstanding.
-
-
I would highly recommend the book
- By Dario Lombardo on 04-19-20
By: Andrew Preston
-
The Back Channel
- A Memoir of American Diplomacy and the Case for Its Renewal
- By: William J. Burns
- Narrated by: Mark Bramhall, William J. Burns
- Length: 17 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Over the course of more than three decades as an American diplomat, William J. Burns played a central role in the most consequential diplomatic episodes of his time - from the bloodless end of the Cold War to the collapse of post-Cold War relations with Putin’s Russia, from post-9/11 tumult in the Middle East to the secret nuclear talks with Iran. In The Back Channel, Burns recounts, with novelistic detail and incisive analysis, some of the seminal moments of his career.
-
-
A Definitive look at Diplomacy
- By Jean on 07-19-19
By: William J. Burns
-
Why Nations Fail
- The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty
- By: Daron Acemoglu, James A. Robinson
- Narrated by: Dan Woren
- Length: 17 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Brilliant and engagingly written, Why Nations Fail answers the question that has stumped the experts for centuries: Why are some nations rich and others poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine?
-
-
Pros and Cons of "Why Nations Fail"
- By Joshua Kim on 05-01-12
By: Daron Acemoglu, and others
-
Conflict
- The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine
- By: David Petraeus, Andrew Roberts
- Narrated by: David Petraeus, Robert Fass
- Length: 18 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two leading authorities—an acclaimed historian and the outstanding battlefield commander and strategist of our time—collaborate on a landmark examination of war since 1945. Conflict is both a sweeping history of the evolution of warfare up to Putin’s invasion of the Ukraine, and a penetrating analysis of what we must learn from the past—and anticipate in the future—in order to navigate an increasingly perilous world.
-
-
The Story of My Life
- By Nice guy on 03-06-24
By: David Petraeus, and others
-
The Hundred-Year Marathon
- China's Secret Strategy to Replace America as the Global Superpower
- By: Michael Pillsbury
- Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner
- Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the US government's leading China experts reveals the hidden strategy fueling that country's rise - and how Americans have been seduced into helping China overtake us as the world's leading superpower.
-
-
Fascinating perspective.
- By Rocky Mackintosh on 01-05-17
-
Chip War
- The Quest to Dominate the World's Most Critical Technology
- By: Chris Miller
- Narrated by: Stephen Graybill
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
You may be surprised to learn that microchips are the new oil—the scarce resource on which the modern world depends. Today, military, economic, and geopolitical power are built on a foundation of computer chips. Virtually everything—from missiles to microwaves—runs on chips, including cars, smartphones, the stock market, even the electric grid. Until recently, America designed and built the fastest chips and maintained its lead as the #1 superpower, but America’s edge is in danger of slipping, undermined by players in Taiwan, Korea, and Europe taking over manufacturing.
-
-
Great history, but could poor narration
- By Lily Wong on 10-26-22
By: Chris Miller
-
The Ascent of Money
- A Financial History of the World
- By: Niall Ferguson
- Narrated by: Simon Prebble
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Niall Ferguson follows the money to tell the human story behind the evolution of finance, from its origins in ancient Mesopotamia to the latest upheavals on what he calls Planet Finance. Bread, cash, dosh, dough, loot, lucre, moolah, readies, the wherewithal: Call it what you like, it matters. To Christians, love of it is the root of all evil. To generals, it's the sinews of war. To revolutionaries, it's the chains of labor. Niall Ferguson shows that finance is in fact the foundation of human progress.
-
-
A mostly successful and interesting history
- By A reader on 02-24-09
By: Niall Ferguson
-
US Foreign Policy and Defense Strategy
- The Evolution of an Incidental Superpower
- By: Derek Reveron, Nikolas Gvosdev, Mackubin Thomas Owens
- Narrated by: Douglas R. Pratt
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In US Foreign Policy and Defense Strategy, the authors analyze the strategic underpinnings of hegemony, assess the national security establishment that sustains dominance, consider the impact on civil-military relations, and explore the intertwining relationships between foreign policy, defense strategy, and commercial activities.
-
-
Comprehensive Exploration
- By dan on 04-18-23
By: Derek Reveron, and others
-
Unrestricted Warfare
- China's Master Plan to Destroy America
- By: Qiao Liang, Wang Xiangsui
- Narrated by: Scott Pollak
- Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A sobering and fascinating study on war in the modern era, Unrestricted Warfare carefully explores strategies that militarily and politically disadvantaged nations might take in order to successfully attack a geopolitical super-power like the United States. American military doctrine is typically led by technology; a new class of weapon or vehicle is developed, which allows or encourages an adjustment in strategy. Military strategists Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui argue that this dynamic is a crucial weakness in the American military.
-
-
China needs battle experience...
- By Swimfinz17 on 01-21-23
By: Qiao Liang, and others
-
Thinking Like an Economist: A Guide to Rational Decision Making
- By: Randall Bartlett, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Randall Bartlett
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Economic forces are everywhere around you. But that doesn't mean you need to passively accept whatever outcome those forces might press upon you. Instead, with these 12 fast-moving and crystal clear lectures, you can learn how to use a small handful of basic nuts-and-bolts principles to turn those same forces to your own advantage.
-
-
Great for beginners, nothing you for an economist
- By V. Taras on 07-08-15
By: Randall Bartlett, and others
-
World Order
- By: Henry Kissinger
- Narrated by: Nicholas Hormann
- Length: 14 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Henry Kissinger offers in World Order a deep meditation on the roots of international harmony and global disorder. Drawing on his experience as one of the foremost statesmen of the modern era Kissinger now reveals his analysis of the ultimate challenge for the 21st century: How to build a shared international order in a world of divergent historical perspectives, violent conflict, proliferating technology, and ideological extremism.
-
-
More retrospective than future oriented
- By Scott on 10-23-14
By: Henry Kissinger
Critic reviews
“Bob Brigham ranks as one of the most accomplished and respected scholar/teachers in the field of U.S. foreign policy history. He has written a plethora of prize-winning books and influential articles and has appeared on a number of radio, TV, and online programs. At Vassar he is a legendary teacher. He is fluent in and reads the Vietnamese language.” (Frank Costigliola, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor, University of Connecticut)
“Bob Brigham has the rare ability to make history literally come alive. An award winning teacher and a distinguished scholar, Brigham explores the myriad ways in which American power has been exercised in the world over the last two centuries and how that history is essential for understanding the place of the United States in the world today.” (Mark Philip Bradley, Bernadotte E. Schmitt Distinguished Service Professor of History, The University of Chicago)
“Bob Brigham is one of our nation’s finest scholars on US foreign policy.” (Gregory A. Daddis, professor at Chapman University)
What listeners say about International Relations 101: The Definitive Audio Course on America's Foreign Policy
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 12-21-19
The Entire American Diplomacy History
When I read the newspaper, I see news like America punishes Iran, America supports the Egyptian regime, America and China agree on certain terms and so on. I always wanted to know how American became so powerful influencing nearly the entire planet.
I know that throughout history, some countries controlled major parts of the planet such as the United Kingdom in the 19th and 18th centuries. I also know that America took the UK’s place in the 20th century and it seems that it will remain for a long time on the top of the world. Diplomacy must have something to do with taking the UK’s place and the rest of the story.
I also realize that to be for a long time on the top of the world requires strong institutions. American has a strong constitution and foreign policy that allowed it to lead the world. However, how America reached this point?
History shows us the truth as it repeats itself all the time. After listening to Professor Robert K. Brigham’s audiobook; I can say that America has learned the lesson and realized how to remain the most powerful empire on Earth for a longer time. Prof. Robert made history and events alive again. His Analyses of the events from a diplomatic point of view were precise and neutral.
The entire American experience did not exist out of nowhere; it is a long journey.
What makes me give this course a 5-star rating is the thoughts I extracted from it. I can now read the news and relate why America has such a major influence on the world. Prof. Robert started the journey from the very beginning. He covered the American constitution, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Cold War, Cuba, Vietnam, Iraq, Pakistan, some of the US presidents, and many other topics. After finishing it, you will realize how powerful America is, especially its foreign policy and diplomacy.
Thank you Professor Robert!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Maya
- 12-20-19
Useful & informative round-up of US foreign policy
I never felt I understood US foreign policy or even trade or the constitution that well, and newspapers always report on these things as if you're already in the loop. I wasn't! That's why I was drawn to this title. The author is a professor of history and international relations at Vassar, and in this lecture series he provides a really solid grounding in US history. How does our country relate to the rest of the world? How did we get where we are today? This audiobook was able to answer some of these questions for me. Of course, this IS a professor of history speaking/reading, so it's kind of hard to give a star rating for performance, but he does the job! Great content.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Emily D.
- 12-19-19
Absorbing and Important
As Americans, we are so steeped in the narrative of US dominance that it's easy to forget how precarious the whole American experiment really was. The thesis of this series, that foreign involvement is a key feature of US national identity, is a fascinating one to follow. Brigham is an excellent writer and a dynamic presenter, a pleasure to listen to.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- T.P.
- 08-04-23
Great information
I enjoyed this a lot. It gave a good overview of the important topics. It is a shorter read but covered all the relevant information. The narrorator did a good job as well.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Dan J
- 12-18-19
Only listen if you want to learn a lot
Robert Brigham is a the kind of professor I WISH I had in college. I would have had much better grades if I had someone as knowledgeable and engaging as Robert. Definitely worth a listen if you have any interest in the history of the US.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 01-05-20
A fascinating take on America’s role in the world
Professor Robert K. Brigham examines US history from the country’s foundation to the present day. The complex relationship between world trade, military power, and constitutional law is analysed to give a cohesive picture on how the United States of America became “The Surprising Superpower.”
Brigham’s focus on foreign policy makes this an even rarer view on American history from 1788 onwards. Trade and international relations are analysed on par with the great victories on the battlefield and the romanticized dreams of a new world. A great listen!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 12-18-19
Distinctive, thoughtful and engaging
Unlike most U.S. foreign policy works, this lecture course covers the full span of U.S. engagement with the word, from the country's early history through current events. I found this broad context especially helpful. Brigham argues persuasively that America has always been internationally engaged. Through a combination of foresight, luck, and stumbles, this engagement evolved and expanded. This course contains many aha moments and one realizes why leaders behaved as they did, and how big the U.S. came to take on superpower status. I highly recommend this series to those interested in a balanced and careful examination of U.S. history on the world stage. Brigham is a fine lecturer and I found the pacing right and enjoyed his presentation.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- John Higgins
- 12-18-19
Brigham is Uniquely Qualified to Tell this Story
Bob Brigham just won Vassar College's "Outstanding Faculty Award" for 2019. Listening to this program will show you why. Bob has a huge amount of knowledge about the treaties and statesmen and battles which have shaped American foreign policy, and he also has a wonderfully theatric presentation style. When Bob tells a story, you feel like you are sitting in the situation room with the president as he weighs what to do. Highly recommend this one!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!