[Online] - Strategic Foresight in U.S. Agencies

Short-termism, the sacrifice of long-term needs to short-term interests, is a persistent problem for U.S. policy. While the problems of short-termism are well known, much less is known about how to handle it. In his report, “Strategic Foresight in U.S. Agencies,” New America International Security Program Senior Fellow J. Peter Scoblic examines how the Coast Guard and other national security agencies have responded to short-temism. Among the important findings is that merely emphasizing the importance of long-term consequences amid uncertainty can make short-term thinking worse rather than better.
To discuss how the U.S. government and its national security agencies address the challenges of short term thinking, J. Peter Scoblic is joined by Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO of New America, who served as Director of Policy Planning for the State Department from 2009-2011. In addition to authoring the report, J. Peter Scoblic is a Senior Fellow with New America’s International Security program and co-founder of Event Horizon Strategies, a foresight consultancy. Anne-Marie Slaughter is also the Bert G. Kerstetter '66 University Professor Emerita of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University.
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Speakers:
J. Peter Scoblic,@PeterScoblic
Author, “Strategic Foresight in U.S. Agencies”
Senior Fellow, New America International Security Program
Co-Founder, Event Horizon Strategies
Anne-Marie Slaughter,@SlaughterAM
CEO, New America
Former Director of Policy Planning, U.S. State Department
Moderator:
Peter Bergen, @PeterBergenCNN
Vice President, New America