The Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) is an American think tank based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. By its own description it is "devoted to bringing the insights of scholarship to bear on the development of policies that advance U.S. national interests."
The Institute conducts research on geopolitics, international relations, and international security in the various regions of the world as well as on ethnic conflict, U.S. national security, terrorism, and on think tanks themselves. It publishes a quarterly journal, Orbis, as well as a series of monographs and books. It publishes bulletins distributed electronically about 50 times a year.
History
FPRI was founded by Ambassador Robert Strausz-Hupé. A native of Vienna, Strausz-Hupé immigrated to the United States in 1923 to work as an investment banker. Alarmed by the 1938 Anschluss, he began to lecture on the dangers posed by Nazi Germany, which in turn led to a teaching position at the University of Pennsylvania in 1940, where he also earned his masters and doctoral degrees.
Dissatisfied with the containment strategy of John Foster Dulles and the Eisenhower administration's foreign policy in general, Strausz-Hupé founded FPRI in 1955 with support from the University of Pennsylvania and the Smith Richardson Foundation. In 1957 publication commenced of the Institute's quarterly, Orbis. Among FPRI's notable early scholars were Hans Kohn, William Kintner, Henry Kissinger, James Schlesinger, and Lawrence Krause.
For most of its history, FPRI was deeply immersed in the intellectual prosecution of the Cold War. It urged the Western world to unite under the leadership of the U.S. to combat the Soviet Union and international communism. In doing so, however, it drew increasing criticismâ€"notably, by name from U.S. Senator William Fulbrightâ€"and became increasingly marginalized from academia; it became independent of Penn in 1970. Ironically, it would also be the start of Strausz-Hupé's twenty-year career as a diplomat, when President Richard Nixon appointed him Ambassador to Ceylon.
Since the end of the Cold War the institute has refocused on other projects: notably, it has identified a special focus on education in international affairs, sponsoring various programs in Philadelphia area schools as well as conferences and seminars for high school and junior college teachers and lectures for the general public.
The U.S.-led War on Terrorism is a central topic of FPRI research. In March 2003, it received a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to study sources of potential terrorist threats to the state, and how to manage the risks.
The institute's primary fundraising event is the Institute's "Annual Dinner", which typically attracts 400 FPRI members in the Philadelphia area, local news media, and the contributions of various companies, including PECO Energy and Boeing. Past speakers have included such notaries as Henry Kissinger, Robert Zoellick, and Walter Russell Mead.
During the 2000s, FPRI has partnered with the Reserve Officers Association, where they have jointly hosted lectures on topics of interest to both the military and the wider international affairs community. FPRI has also begun to hold "salons"â€"in the French Enlightenment styleâ€"in New York City and elsewhere, where they invite local notaries and dignitaries to attend special lectures from the Institute's prime scholars.
On February 1, 2012, it named a new President, Alan Luxenberg, a long-time employee and formerly Vice President of the Institute.
Research programs
Program on National Security
The FPRI initialized this project in order to focus on research, publication, and education, each of which compiling from various conferences held annually, lectures and through the assistance of student internships. The program focuses largely on the examination of the American grand strategy; the geopolitical environment affecting the U.S. and its interests; various means, ways, and impacts of military force; counterterrorism and homeland security; and the various issues contributing to holistic implementation of strategy.
Chair of the FPRI’s Program on National Security is John Lehman, who is also a member of the FPRI Board of Trustees and Chairman of J.F.Lehman & Company and OAOT Technology Solutions. Director of Research and Director of the Program on National Security at the Foreign Policy Research Institute is Michael P.Noonan. The former US Captain, is currently focusing his research on civil-military relations, the roles and missions of the U.S. military, and transnational foreign fighters.
Center for the Study of Terrorism
The Center for the Study of Terrorism is focused on the kinds of policy analysis and formulations which the organization is known for, and for this reason have developed the 3M statement for the Center of the Study of Terrorism:
- Mission - The Center for the Study of Terrorism provides policy direction to governmental officials and private sector decision-makers with analysis of current and potential uses of terrorism by advisories of the U.S. and its allies based on accumulated facts, in order to improve the prevention, recovery and responses to terrorist actions.
- Methods â€" Gathering facts, analysis, and policy evaluations whenever possible with the cooperation from other institutions scholars.
- Metrics â€" Publications of its research in various mediums, holding briefings, seminars, lectures and symposiums to spread their findings.
Co-chairman, Lawrence Husick, focuses on the study of terrorist tactics and counterterrorism strategies; while co-chairman, Edward A. Turzanski focuses his research on the Intelligence and espionage, terrorism and counterterrorism.
Center for Study of America and the West
The Center for Study of America and the West was founded at FPRI in 1997 when the conflict about the post-Cold War world was at its height, to promote Western values and examine the role of Western civilization in history. The center allows historians, political scientists, and other scholars to come together. It publishes original research, holds study groups, offers materials through web-based resources, and sponsors history institutes for high school teachers worldwide. Most importantly, the teaching American military history program at the Center affects the scholarly discourse and teaching of history. The executive director is Ronald J. Granieri, and chair is Walter A. McDougall.
Asia Program
Emphasizing on East Asia, including China and Taiwan, the Asia Program allows for analysis of important developments in Asia and promotes debate. The program has four interrelated initiatives which include, conferences, the Study Group on the United States and Asia, educational programs for teachers and the public, and research and publication. Relations between China, Taiwan, and the US have always been a main focus, therefore the program also looks at the importance of other areas outside of these connections, such as the regional studies of Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. Directed by Jacques deLisle.
Program on the Middle East
The Program on the Middle East focuses on the current developments and new trends on the Middle East and North Africa, by making analysis in the areas of U.S. strategic interests in the region. Working together with emerging scholars from the academic, military, and policy worlds, the program tries to provide policy assessments and recommendations. The program focuses on the geopolitics of the Middle East, the Arab Spring, radicalism and regional threats, sectarian divisions, the Arab-Israeli conflict and peace efforts, and authoritarianism and reform, through research, publication, and education. In the areas on the Arab uprisings, and due to its effects on the region, the Program is trying to find new ways to approach and understand the Middle East and America’s regional policy priorities. Director of this program is Tally Helfont.
Project on Democratic Transitions
Launched in 2005, the Project on Democratic Transitions focuses primarily on the political transitions of Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia after 1989. Its goal is to better understand the successes and failures of democratization attempts in post-communist countries, and identify policy-relevant conclusions. Adrian A. Basora is the Director.
Think Tanks and Foreign Policy Program
Founded in 1989, the Think Tanks and Foreign Policy Program has built a base for global initiative that helps fill in the gaps between knowledge and policy, especially in critical areas like international peace and security, globalization and governance, international economics, environment, information and society, poverty reduction and health. This program has put together scholars and practitioners from think tanks and universities around the world in order to assist in establishing regional and international networks of policy institutes and communities that will improve policy making and strengthen democratic institutes and civil societies worldwide. Director is James McGann.
Board of Advisors
Members of FPRI’s Board of Advisors:
Affiliated figures
Publications
- Orbis ISSNÂ 0030-4387
- e-notes : a catalyst for ideas OCLC 303405690
- Foreign Policy Research Institute footnotes OCLCÂ 58531019
- Foreign Policy Research Institute wire
See also
- Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP)
References
External links
- Official website
- Think Tank Directory
- Project on Democratic Transitions
- Orbis