Brave New World: Great Power Politics in a Future with Peer Hegemons

Join us on Tuesday, March 14, 2026, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. for the ONDISC Seminar with John Mearsheimer and Joshua Byun

Speakers:
John J. Mearsheimer is an influential American political scientist and international relations scholar, best known for developing the “offensive realism” theory, which posits that anarchy compels great powers to maximize power for security. A professor at the University of Chicago since 1982, he is a prominent critic of U.S. foreign policy, particularly regarding Iraq and Ukraine.

Joshua Byun is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Boston College and a 2025-2026 Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research focuses on questions related to grand strategy, alliance politics, and nuclear weapons. Joshua’s first book, under contract with Cornell University Press (Cornell Studies in Security Affairs series), examines the success and failure of grand strategy in the context of military alliances. Joshua’s broader research interests center on topics such as preventive war, the relationship between power politics and international norms, and the performative uses of violence by state and nonstate actors. Some of his research has appeared in outlets such as the American Political Science Review, International Studies Quarterly, Texas National Security Review, and Contemporary Security Policy. His policy commentary has been featured in forums like Foreign Affairs and Foreign Policy. Joshua received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Chicago in August 2022. Prior to beginning his academic career, he served as the personal interpreter to South Korea’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

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