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Aristotle, US Public Diplomacy, and the Cold War: The Work of Carnes Lord

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Abstract

Carnes Lord is an eminent Aristotelian scholar who has since the mid-1970s intermittently occupied positions within the United States government. This article considers the linkages between his writings on Aristotle and the standpoints he has adopted when in government, with particular reference to the period in the early 1980s when he fulfilled an important role in developing a public diplomacy and information strategy against the Soviet Union. Attention is given to Lord’s interpretation and application, in both his writings and his policy-making, of several key aspects of Aristotle’s political thought, such as rhetoric, regimes, and education. The influence of Leo Strauss on Lord’s thinking is also taken into account.

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Abbreviations

USIA:

United States Information Agency

NSDD:

National Strategy Decision Directive

NSC:

National Security Council

ACDA:

Arms Control and Disarmament Agency

NATO:

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

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Correspondence to Giles Scott-Smith.

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Scott-Smith, G. Aristotle, US Public Diplomacy, and the Cold War: The Work of Carnes Lord. Found Sci 13, 251–264 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10699-008-9138-7

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