The Education of a Statesman: How Global Leaders Can Repair a Fractured World

(Hardback)

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This is a dangerous timethe international system is teetering, jolted by a raging pandemic, climate change, income inequality, cyber threats, terrorism, authoritarian regimes, nationalist demagogues, and frightened and impatient publics. But the career and hard-earned wisdom of famed diplomat, Jan Eliasson, offers warnings, guidance, and hope.
The Education of a Statesman examines Eliassons remarkable diplomatic careerincluding Swedish diplomat, president of the United Nations General Assembly, and Deputy Secretary General of the United Nationsand scrutinizes the innumerable lessons he has learned which are applicable to our current period of maximum danger in global affairs. Combining elements of idealism and realism, Eliasson helps us understand the substance, theater, and spirit of diplomacy--statecraft, stagecraft, and soulcraft on the world stage. His story provides insights on the complexities of this perilous time and suggests what can be done to renew the international order and calm the raging discontent that has infected international and domestic politics.
Historian John Shaw analyzes this master diplomat and provides an insiders perspective on diplomacy and international politics: what happens during backroom meetings, high-profile international conferences, and charged debates at the United Nations. This book shows what must be done to confront this pivotal moment so the bad guys stop winning and the forces of rationality, fairness, and pluralism prevailor at least have a fighting chance.

Reviews

No small irony that the most successful diplomatic life is one most often lived out of sight. The professional virtues required for effective statecraft rarely take center stagehistorical curiosity, analytical temperament, ideologically self-aware, attentiveness to detail, patient negotiator. For this reason, John T. Shaw has put us in his debt with The Education of a Statesman: How Global Leaders Can Repair a Fractured World. Few outside the circles of Washington DCs diplomatic circles have heard of Swedish Ambassador Jan Eliasson, despite rising through the ranks to be Deputy Secretary General of the UN. Shaw remedies that oversight here, but this is no mere biography. He uses Eliassons professional life as both commentary and metaphorfield notes and guiding paradigmand uses the vocation of statecraft to throw light on one of its finest practitioners. As Shaw shows, our fractured world needs more Eliassons. -- U.S. Ambassador Ruth A. Davis, (Ret.)
This work by an experienced and thoughtful journalist illuminates the world of diplomacy through the life of Jan Eliasson, a statesman who, though representing a small country nonetheless had a large impact. It has a lot to teach those curious about one of the oldest, but least understood professions, and how it can help mend a wounded world. -- Eliot A. Cohen, Counselor of the Department of State, 2007-2009; Dean of the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, 2019-2021
At a time of global crises and pessimism about the effectiveness of multilateral organizations, John Shaw offers a refreshing counter-narrative. Using examples from the remarkable career of Jan Eliasson who held more, and more varied, senior positions in the United Nations than any other individual Shaw leads the reader to conclude that collective action rooted in the UN Charter remains essential today. Eliassons boundless energy and optimism, sources of inspiration for those of us fortunate enough to have worked with him, jumps off the pages in Shaws account. At the UN, Eliassons hands-on approach touched countless people, and Shaws book is the next best thing to being in Eliassons company. -- Jeffrey Feltman, former United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs (2012-2018)
John Shaw has written a twofer: A first rate primer on the art and science of diplomacy; and, a fascinating and well-written biography of the Swedish diplomat, Jan Eliasson, whose accomplishments in the United Nations and other multilateral forums are without equal. -- Donald McHenry, former US ambassador to the UN
In an era of spiraling global complexity, wicked transnational and existential threats, and institutional paralysis, the role of the diplomat could not be more critical. With the Great Powers locked in zero-sum competition, the role of the middle power diplomat who can artfully and effectively navigate toward solutions is even more so. John Shaw's examination of the life and work of one of the most consequential - Jan Eliasson - could not be more timely. A must read for any student or practitioner of diplomacy in the modern age. -- Ambassador (ret.) Barbara K. Bodine

Author Bio

John T. Shaw is a historian, a long-time DC journalist, and currently the director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute in Illinois. His work and books have been featured on C-SPANs Book TV, PBS NewsHour and C-SPAN. He has published articles in The Wall Street Journal, The Christian Science Monitor, The Boston Globe, and The American Interest. He has been a contributing writer to the Washington Diplomat magazine for over 25 years and writes the monthly Better Politics, Smarter Government column that is distributed to 400 papers in Illinois.