Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Are we in a new Cold War? That is the question Mike McFaul takes on in his new book, Autocrats versus Democrats: Russia, China, America, and the New Global Disorder. McFaul argues that modern analogies to a second Cold War hold some merit but are insufficient given the rise of authoritarian tendencies within the United States and European democracies. Combining analysis of the Russian and Chinese threats with a critique of the Trump administration's isolationist and authoritarian tendencies, McFaul articulates a set of policy prescriptions that sketch a new grand strategy for American engagement with the world.
Dr. Michael McFaul is the Director of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and a Professor of International Studies at Stanford University
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Are we in a new Cold War? That is the question Mike McFaul takes on in his new book, Autocrats versus Democrats: Russia, China, America, and the New Global Disorder. McFaul argues that modern analogies to a second Cold War hold some merit but are insufficient given the rise of authoritarian tendencies within the United States and European democracies. Combining analysis of the Russian and Chinese threats with a critique of the Trump administration's isolationist and authoritarian tendencies, McFaul articulates a set of policy prescriptions that sketch a new grand strategy for American engagement with the world.
Dr. Michael McFaul is the Director of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and a Professor of International Studies at Stanford University
Subscribe to Brussels Sprouts at:
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brussels-sprouts/id1238007695
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2FUjDDsM54EOlFpThjzHIp?si=f9c66db6638d499c
Learn more about CNAS at cnas.org
Follow CNAS on:
• Twitter: twitter.com/cnasdc
• Facebook: facebook.com/cnasdc
• Instagram: instagram.com/cnasdc
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/center-for-a-new-american-security
