Professional Affiliation

Student, University of Erfurt

Expert Bio

Jakob Wilhelm was born in Schwandorf, Bavaria and graduated from high school in 2010. Afterwards he completed his civil service before entering the University of Erfurt in 2011. He is currently studying political science and history with a focus on international politics and american history. During the fall semster 2013 he studied abroad at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He is expected to graduate in january 2015.

Wilson Center Project

"U.S. foreign policy under the Obama Administration: Policy shift or continuity?"

Project Summary

The aim of this piece of work is to reveal whether the U.S. foreign policy has experienced a substantial shift during the Administration of President Obama in comparison to his predecessor George W. Bush’s policy. The paper will include a critical analysis of the strategic shift towards Asia (“rebalancing”) while simultaneously raising the question if Europe and the Middle East now receive less attention than before.  Additionally it will be discussed whether President Obama’s idealistic principles, as he articulated them during his presidential campaign and throughout the first months of his presidency, have decreased in importance or if President Obama was just forced to pursue a more pragmatic approach by several incidents (e.g. Arab Spring, terrorism).