Episode 161: Graham Allison

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It's called "Thucydides's Trap" -- and the US and China are caught in it.

Graham Allison is a legend of international relations. He's the founding dean of the Harvard Kennedy School and former director of Harvard's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

His latest book, published in May, is called Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides's Trap? This book combines insights from the ancient greeks with his own historical research and analysis to posit that war between China and the United States is more likely than we think. We kick off with a discussion of the scenarios that might lead to war between China and the USA -- and how the UN can put a break to conflict.

After a discussion of his book, we learn a bit about Graham Allison's upbringing and early life in North Carolina and how he ended up a lifer at Harvard University.

If you are listening to this and you have ever taken an International Re…