The United States of America: the (still) Imperial Republic?

The 2024 American elections and the evolution of the international system —both its normative framework and its material structure—should lead to an undoubtedly profound redefinition of the United States' role in the world. More protectionist, more unilateralist and more isolationist, the new Trump administration could redistribute the cards of American commitments, with a reduced presence in Europe and a strategy focused on China. For Europeans, such change is no novelty — the place of the United States in Europe has been debated since the end of the Cold War—, but it takes place in a significantly deteriorated environment: externally, with increasing economic challenges and the Russian threat, and internally, with the rise of nationalisms, the Franco-German difficulties, and the challenges of European strategic responsibility. Finally, the United States is undergoing major internal political changes, with a massive “electoral realignment” around economic issues (protectionism) or cultural issues (resistance to the identity politics of the Democratic Party) —as attested by the second presidential election of Donald Trump. The capacity of liberal institutions to integrate this political upheaval raises questions and gives new relevance to Raymond Aron's thought on the fragile balances of liberal democracy. 

Indeed, studies on Raymond Aron often highlight his link with Germany, where he lived in the 1930s and witnessed the rise of Nazism, and on his affinities with great authors such as Clausewitz, Marx and Weber who accompanied his thinking. But the United States —to which he dedicated a book, The Imperial Republic, published in 1973— is probably the second great country to have counted in Raymond Aron's life, particularly from 1945 onwards. An entire chapter of his Memoirs is devoted to Henry Kissinger's work as Secretary of State, with particular reference to Vietnam and the Yom Kippur War (Chapter XXIII - “Kissinger and the End of American Hegemony”). Raymond Aron emphasized the preponderant yet fragile role of the “Imperial Republic”. He highlighted the contrast between external responsibilities and internal upheavals, a discrepancy that today takes on a new dimension.

The aim of the Raymond Aron 2025 conference is to question the relevance of the Aronian perspective in analyzing and understanding historical and current developments in the United States, both internally and externally. It aims at examining the strategic, political and moral situation of the United States of America from Raymond Aron's perspective. Beyond the presidential election, two axes will structure the analysis: 

- Internally, analyze the new political balance of the American “national state”, the increasing presidentialization of its political system, the state of its institutions, and the social and economic changes underway, in order to paint a portrait of American democracy. 

- Externally, examine the U.S. role in the world, its diplomatic conduct, foreign policy and strategic challenges. Particular attention will be given to the future of the American security guarantee in Europe, and the redefinition of transatlantic relations.

• The complete call for papers :

  Document

  Colloque Raymond Aron 2025 - Appel à communications_FR-EN.pdf pdf 163 KB

 

• Deadline for Submission : January 31st, 2025

   

• Notification of Acceptance : February 15th , 2025