Vanderbilt professor talks foreign policy to students

Schwartz, who spoke to students Oct. 13 in the Lewis Family Auditorium, is among a series of speakers on the Upper School campus who have offered commentary relevant to the 2016 presidential election. Upper School students previously listened to teacher Greg Cooper's 2012 TEDx talk ("Magic Words and the Death of American Debate"), and heard from Associate Head of School John A. King, Jr., on historic election issues.

Schwartz contended that foreign policy matters have played a significant role in nearly every election since 1956, when the emergence of television created a vehicle for campaign advertisements. Since the end of World War II, he said, Americans have displayed a spirit of internationalism and engagement.

"Pearl Harbor changed a lot of people's minds about where America should be in the world," Schwartz said. 

That fact, Schwartz said, flies in the face of the common perception that Americans don't care about foreign policy, and that elections are decided by domestic issues – namely, the economy.

He also noted the role reversal in having a Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, advocate for more U.S. engagement on various fronts than the Republican nominee, Donald Trump, who has said he rejects certain alliances, trade agreements and other international involvement.

If Trump is elected "we may soon encounter the consequences of such a retreat," Schwartz said. "Are we going to backward to a time of looking at the American president as largely a domestic leader?"

Added Schwartz: "The world is really focused on this... This is, in some ways in terms of America's international engagement, a pivotal election. If Trump were to win, I think it would have an extraordinary effect."