John K. Glenn
Dr. John K. Glenn is a Senior Non-Resident Fellow and Adjunct Professor at the Elliott School for Public Affairs at George Washington University, where he teaches a graduate seminar on the European Union. Dr. Glenn is an expert on foreign policy issues including the prospects for U.S.-European cooperation on global challenges, the image of the United States in the world, public opinion and foreign policy, and democracy promotion. He joined the German Marshall Fund in 2004 as director of foreign policy, responsible for Transatlantic Trends, an annual survey of foreign policy attitudes in the United States and Europe, and the primary author of the Key Findings Report from 2005-08. In this role he also oversaw GMF's foreign policy grantmaking programs to think tanks and scholars, managed the Transatlantic Fellows program, and directed numerous policy projects and partnerships. Before coming to GMF, Dr. Glenn was executive director of the Council for European Studies, the leading American professional association for the study of Europe in the social sciences and humanities, and visiting scholar and adjunct professor at New York University's Center for European Studies from 2000 to 2004. Previously, he served as a project manager at the Institute of War and Peace Studies at Columbia University where he directed a project on NGO strategies for democratization and conflict prevention in formerly communist states. He is the author of Framing Democracy: Civil society and civic movements in Eastern Europe (Stanford University Press, 2001) and co-editor of The Power and Limits of NGOs: A critical look at building democracy in Eastern Europe and Eurasia (Columbia University Press, 2002), as well as numerous scholarly articles and policy briefs. He is a frequent commentator on international affairs, having appeared on CNN International, CNN's Insight, BBC World News, Bloomberg TV, Reuters Television, BBC World Service, Voice of America's FOCUS, Deutsche Welle, and NPR's Marketplace. News Articles
Sarkozy’s decision ups pressure on ObamaMarch 14, 2009When Obama travels to Europe in early April, he will face questions on the economic crisis and about whether Europeans are willing to do more in Afghanistan. Complicating matters is French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s announcement that he will bring France back into the military wing of NATO, reversing Charles de Gaulle’s decision of 40 years ago.Obama to Europe: Ich bin ein listenerJanuary 21, 2009Barack Obama's election was greeted with jubilation in many parts of the world, raising hopes that his personal appeal will translate into progress on a range of important issues: stabilizing and reconstructing Afghanistan, countering Iran's nuclear ambitions, resolving the global financial crisis, reaching an international climate change agreement and responding to a newly assertive Russia, among others.Foreign policy challenges for the Obama administrationJanuary 01, 2009This European Policy Analysis reviews the foreign policy challenges for the new U.S. administration. President Barack Obama faces a formidable set of international challenges including wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the prospect of a nuclear Iran, a resurgent Russia, and a short calendar for a new treaty on climate change. On each of these issues, Europeans have the potential to play a key role as allies. President Obama has called for the mending of relations with Europeans, but the ability of the United States and Europe to address these pressing foreign policy challenges will be constrained by the financial and economic crisis. This analysis will review the Obama administration's vision for foreign policy and analyze the major challenges on the foreign policy agenda, considering opportunities for U.S.-European engagement and looking ahead to prospects for the future.Publications
How “European” is Obama?June 10, 2009"Black man given nation's worst job," joked the satirical American newspaper, The Onion, in light of the crises President Obama faced when he took office. Yet Obama continues to be remarkably popular, with approval ratings above 60 percent and a dramatic increase in the percentage of Americans who feel that the country is heading in the right direction since his election
The Myth of “Exporting” Democracy: Lessons from Eastern Europe after 1989April 21, 2009As the Obama administration defines its foreign policy agenda, voices around the world caution that the West cannot "export" democracy and should adapt more "modest" foreign policies. Foreign policy debates suggest that the lessons learned from the postcommunist world since 1989 must be reinforced and learned anew.
Talking Transatlantic, Turning Toward Asia?April 01, 2009President Obama makes his first trip to Europe amid growing signs that European leaders may resist his calls for help on resolving the economic crisis, contributing to Afghanistan, and managing detainees from Guantanamo. Europeans quietly wonder about the depth of President Obama's commitment to Europe.
Engaging Europe on AfghanistanJanuary 27, 2009The enthusiasm in Europe for the U.S. election of Barack Obama has raised hopes for progress on a range of issues on the transatlantic agenda, among the most pressing of which is stabilization and reconstruction in Afghanistan. Yet it remains uncertain whether Obama’s personal popularity can or will translate into additional contributions from Europeans, who have deep reservations about the use of force. Public opinion data suggests that the new U.S. administration should pursue a new diplomacy that builds on European support for a range of non-combat missions.
Will America’s Image Recover in Europe: Understanding Public Opinion Since 9/11March 01, 2008Managing expectations for change may be the foremost task for policymakers in the coming administration. European media coverage of the U.S. election has at times reflected a fascination with various candidates, leading one observer to declare, “Germany’s got a crush on Obama.” This paper grounds these hopes and fears by analyzing the public opinion data of Transatlantic Trends, an annual survey of foreign policy attitudes in the United States and Europe conducted by the German Marshall Fund of the United States and its partners since 2002.
Polling Data on European Opinion of American Policies, Values, and PeopleMarch 22, 2007Testimony by John K. Glenn, director of Foreign Policy at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, before the Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight in the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on International Affiars. Full testimony is available for download below.
