In his hugely praised autobiography, one of America’s great Secretaries of State, Dean Acheson described the creation of the “new world order” as it was chiseled, under US leadership, from the carnage of the Second World War. Because he was one of the key architects of that US-led Order, he called his book Present at the Creation.

After 80 years, that 1940s Order is giving way to a new one that is no longer dominated by the United States, given that the U.S. now shares superpower status with China; and increasingly both are influenced by countries of the global south. With today’s interlinked world of electronic communications, trade, technology, and low-cost military weapons, many nations will have a hand in shaping the new US-China dominated order.

This Osher class, in Dean Acheson’s words, is Present at This Creation, and we will discuss, identify, and recommend ways the US can engage with the rest of the world, especially China, to try and preserve its interests and values. Time permitting, the class will hear from current affairs and business specialists.

Acheson’s book is an important symbol of the past, but is not required reading for this course. Instead, we will focus on a NEW world order with David Dakui Li’s recent book, which will be augmented with reports and articles.