This book emerged from my time as the Ryan Professor and director of the Carr Center on Human Rights Policy. I am immensely grateful to the Harvard Kennedy School for making this project possible and for the understanding they showed when I was elected to Parliament. I learned an enormous amount from the school, the center, colleagues, and students. This book would not have been possible without them. In particular, I would like to thank Vin Ryan, Charlie Clements, and the fellows and staff of the Carr Center; and David Elwood, Mary-Jo Bane, and the Kennedy School faculty for their wisdom, understanding, and support, both professional and personal.
—Rory Stewart
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Many of the ideas in this book emerged from joint work with my colleagues at the European Stability Initiative (ESI), the best team I have ever come across when it comes to developing new ideas. I want to thank all of them for their inspiration—in particular, Piotr Zalewski for his help as editor; Kristof Bender and Minna Jarvenpaa for detailed feedback to many drafts; and Marcus Cox, Kristof Gosztonyi, Eggert Hardten, Verena Knaus, Felix Martin, Alex Stiglmayer, and Besa Shahini for many intense debates on all the issues discussed here.
The actual writing took place during my time with the Harvard Kennedy School, first as a visiting and then as an associate fellow at the Carr Center on Human Rights Policy. I am grateful to the school, the center, colleagues, other fellows, and all of our impressive students. It was a privilege to work alongside all of them. Special thanks to Charlie Clements, and of course to Rory, for persuading me to come to the United States, agreeing to take up the challenge of a joint book, and then finding time to work long nights—in Istanbul, Scotland, Cumbria, and London—despite the demands of a political career. I am also grateful for the enormous patience and encouragement of everyone at W. W. Norton, Jake Schindel, Brendan Curry, and Roby Harrington.
Very special thanks to Katharina, who commented on drafts as a colleague while supporting the whole project as head of our family; and to my daughters Fanny, Amelie, and Melek, for their inspiration and patience.
—Gerald Knaus