Lisa Carlson discussed “The Role of Alliances in Contemporary American Foreign Policy” at the League of Women Voters of Moscow (LWV-Moscow) forum on November 29^th in the Fiske Room of the 1912 Center, Moscow.

For the last 60 years, the predominant belief held by foreign policy decision-makers is that the benefits the U.S. derives from alliances more than outweighs the costs and risks associated with those alliances. That belief has come under attack by detractors who argue that alliances do more harm than good, and thereby, the U.S. should begin to retreat from some of its international commitments.

Carlson explored both sides of this issue by examining the purpose of forming alliances, the benefits, costs, and risks associated with those commitments, and the reasons why the U.S. chooses to ally itself with some states and groups and not others.

Carlson is Borah professor of international relations in the University of Idaho Political Science Department. In 1994, she earned a doctorate in international relations from Rice University. Teaching interests include international war, foreign policy, political violence and revolutions, and game theory.