Emergent Strategy and Grand Strategy

"This well-written book is highly recommended."

"Popescu's analysis raises a number of interesting points, particularly regarding the limitations of grand strategy planning in the Cold War."

"Popescu should be lauded for moving beyond the current debate over which grand strategy the United States should adopt to successfully challenge the grand strategy paradigm itself."

"Examining eight US presidential administrations, Popescu considers whether the criticism of policymakers who deviate from grand strategy in the service of short-term considerations is warranted. According to the author, such deviations may develop into a new strategy over time, particularly if leaders focus on learning from their mistakes."

"Emergent Strategy and Grand Strategy is a significant contribution to the literature. This book marks the entrance of an insightful new voice into the ongoing debate about the theory and practice of American grand strategy—a debate certain to intensify in coming years."

"[Emergent Strategy and Grand Strategy] stands as the first political science contribution to test this emergent approach as an alternative explanation for successful national security strategizing... Popescu's book provides an original and counterintuitive way of thinking about the history of post–World War II US national security strategies. It is also timely—as we reflect on Donald Trump's foreign policy, his unorthodox decisionmaking style, and the different ways in which the president could harness his erratic approach in international affairs."

"An extremely ambitious book that makes a strong and novel theory argument on an enduringly important topic."

"In this all-too-rare product that blends theory and historical practice, Popescu structures a compelling case for emergent learning coupling rigorous planning with equally flexible execution in the face of our pervasive inability to forecast the future. Well researched and highly readable, this book is recommended for students and practitioners alike.   "

"In this book, Popescu examines the foreign policy of numerous presidents since the 1940s and concludes that short-term flexibility, adaptation, and improvisation are more important to strategic success than is long-term planning. Drawing on business literature together with broad archival research, his work on emergent strategies is at the cutting edge of realistic historical and current analysis of how American grand strategy is actually made. Clearly written, thoroughly researched, highly relevant, and quite convincing."