The article Hegemony and After: What Can Be Said About The Future of American Global Leadership, by Robert O. Keohane, perfectly demonstrates the ideology of American exceptionalism in International Relations. Keohane critiques various works, and argues against the declinist debate, which does not allow us to distinguish between the known and unknowable. He argues that certain things are and should be known. For example, Keohane states there is certainty in the fact “that among democracies in the world today, only the United States has the material capacity and political unity to exercise consistent global leadership. It has shown a repeated ability to rebound from economic and political difficulties. The size, youth and diversity ofc its population; the stability and openness of its political institutions; and the incentives that its economic system creates for innovation mean that it remains the most creative society in the world”. From this quote, the ideology of American exceptionalism is conveyed to readers, and we understand that the United States is the exception to the rule of the world; that the United States has the greater ability to maintain world peace considering its greater economic, material, and political power. Keohane goes on to suggest that the United States is responsible for the promotion of global peace, prosperity, and political liberalization. This article and the ideology of American exceptionalism are key in understanding why many believe that International Relations is an American discipline. This is a theme repeated in our class discussions, and it is significant to recognize while studying international relations, as such biases within the discipline shape our understanding of it. The United States has, admittedly, played a large role in the development of the world, however a parochial worldview limits the study of international relations because it narrows our approaches to it.

Although Keohane’s arguments very much align with American exceptionalism, he does a good job in emphasizing the uncertainty of the future of international politics, saying that we cannot rely on assumptions for emerging powers and by stating that leadership may not be sustainable. He also states the importance of multilateral institutions in maintaining world peace. Such institutions provide a stable and reliable platform for international cooperation, and have played a major role in resolving past issues. However, it can be argued as mentioned in class, that such institutions play in favor of the interests of great powers, such as the United States.