The Five Most Powerful People in the World
William Burke-White is a renowned professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Carey Law School. An international lawyer and political scientist, he is a leading expert on U.S. foreign policy, multilateral institutions, and international law, with significant regional expertise on Russia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. From 2009 – 2011, he served in the Obama administration on Secretary of State Clinton’s Policy Planning Staff. Professor Burke-White has received the Levin Award and the Gorman Award for Excellence in Teaching and was a Fulbright Scholar at Cambridge University.
Overview
Who are the most powerful individuals? Who are the most powerful people in politics? Who are the real influencers on the world stage? Who makes the decisions that determine war and peace? Economic growth or stagnation? Global cooperation or political stagnation?
This lecture answers the question of who the most powerful people in the world are by examining how we think about power and influence in international politics. We will consider traditional answers based on military might and examine how globalization, technology, ideology, and economic interdependence are changing the ways we should think about power and influence.
After engaging in an analysis of power and influence in today’s world, we will consider 5 particular individuals—some expected, others perhaps unexpected or even unknown—who are calling the shots in global affairs today. The lecture concludes with a detailed look at what their influence means for our global future.