Monday Night Philosophy revisits America’s foreign policy. The United States a neutral nation for 150 years after its inception, observing George Washington’s “Great Rule.” Following the Truman Doctrine, some argue that the U.S. has acted as the world's policeman for the past 70 years. Are we ready for a third phase of American history? Is the global community ready? The panelists will debate questions and possibilities regarding the U.S. as an empire or an umpire for the rest of the world, raised in the forthcoming PBS documentary, American Umpire, based upon the book by Elizabeth Cobbs.

For more information on this event or to buy tickets, click here.

American Umpire is a 56-minute documentary targeted for PBS that examines why the United States became the world’s policeman and asks how long we must play this role. Narrated by renowned journalist Jim Lehrer, the film explores the historical foundation of American foreign intervention from George Washington to Barack Obama. The film combines unusual archival footage with candid interviews of three former secretaries of state (Shultz, Albright, and Rice), two American generals (Mattis and Eikenberry), winners of the Nobel and Pulitzer prizes (Spence and Kennedy), and eight scholars from around the world. American Umpire is filmed in a compelling, cinematic style. It helps voters understand the critical debates about American foreign policy in time for the 2016 presidential election, when they must decide who leads the country going forward.

For more information on this documentary and insight into the major interviews showcased, click here.

Upcoming Events

Monday, November 3, 2025
Jimmy Lai at Hoover, October 2019
From Press to Protest to Prison: Jimmy Lai and the End of Hong Kong Freedom
The Hoover Institution Program on the US, China, and the World invites you to a roundtable on From Press to Protest to Prison: Jimmy Lai and the End… Annenberg Conference Room, George P. Shultz Building
Tuesday, November 4, 2025
Campus & Country: Trust, Democracy, And Higher Education
The Center for Revitalizing American Institutions (RAI) hosts Campus & Country: Trust, Democracy, and Higher Education with Brandice Canes-Wrone… Annenberg Conference Room, George P. Shultz Building
Tuesday, November 4, 2025
Daniel Flynn Book Talk
Book Talk: "The Man Who Invented Conservatism" By Daniel Flynn
The Hoover History Lab and Hoover Institution Library & Archives invite you to a special hybrid event with Daniel Flynn to discuss his recent… Shultz Auditorium, Stanford, California
overlay image