Stephen Schlesinger
Encyclopedia
Stephen Schlesinger is an author and political commentator. He is an Adjunct Fellow at the Century Foundation in New York City. He served as Director of the World Policy Institute
at the New School University from 1997-2006. He is the son of historian Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr and oldest brother of journalist Robert Schlesinger
.
with a B.A. in 1964, and earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School
in 1968. During 1970, he began publishing, with other former supporters of Robert F. Kennedy
and Eugene J. McCarthy, The New Democrat, a monthly magazine dedicated to uniting "the left and radical wings" and replacing the "dead leadership" in the Democratic Party. The magazine was critical of Democratic National Committee
chairman Larry O'Brien
, and promoted the candidacy of South Dakota Senator George McGovern
over that of Maine Senator Ed Muskie and former Vice President Hubert Humphrey
during the 1972 Democratic presidential primaries
. Later, he worked as a staff writer for Time magazine.
Schlesinger served as a speechwriter and foreign policy advisor for New York Governor Mario Cuomo
, who was elected during 1982 to the first of three consecutive terms. After Cuomo's defeat in 1994, Schlesinger worked for the United Nations
Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT, a United Nations agency for human settlements planning) before accepting a job running the World Policy Institute (WPI). He stepped down from the WPI in June 2006.
Schlesinger's book, "Bitter Fruit", published in 1982, about the 1954 US coup in Guatemala, has sold more than 100,000 copies. His subsequent study of the UN's founding, "Act of Creation", published in 2003, is the only authoritative account of the 1945 San Francisco Conference that drafted the UN Charter. It won the 2004 Harry S. Truman Book Award. In 2007, with his brother, Andrew, he edited his father's journals which cover the period from 1952-2000 and were published to wide acclaim.
Among other media accomplishments, Schlesinger has appeared in five documentaries on the United Nations and one on the 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état. Schlesinger is a regular contributor to many publications, including, among others, the Los Angeles Times, The Nation Magazine, Foreign Affairs, The New York Observer and The World Policy Journal. He blogs on Huffingtonpost.com and Maximsnews.com.
World Policy Institute
The World Policy Institute, a non-partisan policy institute which claims to develop policies that require a progressive ideology. WPI focuses on cooperative policies in order to achieve : an inclusive and sustainable global market economy, engaged global civic participation and effective...
at the New School University from 1997-2006. He is the son of historian Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr and oldest brother of journalist Robert Schlesinger
Robert Schlesinger
Robert Schlesinger is opinion editor at U.S. News and World Report, a liberal blogger on and the Huffington Post, and writes a biweekly column for U.S. News. He is the youngest son of the late historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. and the youngest brother of Stephen Schlesinger. His first book,...
.
Biography
Schlesinger graduated from Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
with a B.A. in 1964, and earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1968. During 1970, he began publishing, with other former supporters of Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
and Eugene J. McCarthy, The New Democrat, a monthly magazine dedicated to uniting "the left and radical wings" and replacing the "dead leadership" in the Democratic Party. The magazine was critical of Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
chairman Larry O'Brien
Larry O'Brien
Lawrence Francis "Larry" O'Brien, Jr. was one of the United States Democratic Party's leading electoral strategists when, for more than two decades, he helped reshape American politics...
, and promoted the candidacy of South Dakota Senator George McGovern
George McGovern
George Stanley McGovern is an historian, author, and former U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, and the Democratic Party nominee in the 1972 presidential election....
over that of Maine Senator Ed Muskie and former Vice President Hubert Humphrey
Hubert Humphrey
Hubert Horatio Humphrey, Jr. , served under President Lyndon B. Johnson as the 38th Vice President of the United States. Humphrey twice served as a United States Senator from Minnesota, and served as Democratic Majority Whip. He was a founder of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and...
during the 1972 Democratic presidential primaries
Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 1972
The 1972 Democratic presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Democratic Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 1972 U.S. presidential election...
. Later, he worked as a staff writer for Time magazine.
Schlesinger served as a speechwriter and foreign policy advisor for New York Governor Mario Cuomo
Mario Cuomo
Mario Matthew Cuomo served as the 52nd Governor of New York from 1983 to 1994, and is the father of Andrew Cuomo, the current governor of New York.-Early life:...
, who was elected during 1982 to the first of three consecutive terms. After Cuomo's defeat in 1994, Schlesinger worked for the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT, a United Nations agency for human settlements planning) before accepting a job running the World Policy Institute (WPI). He stepped down from the WPI in June 2006.
Schlesinger's book, "Bitter Fruit", published in 1982, about the 1954 US coup in Guatemala, has sold more than 100,000 copies. His subsequent study of the UN's founding, "Act of Creation", published in 2003, is the only authoritative account of the 1945 San Francisco Conference that drafted the UN Charter. It won the 2004 Harry S. Truman Book Award. In 2007, with his brother, Andrew, he edited his father's journals which cover the period from 1952-2000 and were published to wide acclaim.
Among other media accomplishments, Schlesinger has appeared in five documentaries on the United Nations and one on the 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état. Schlesinger is a regular contributor to many publications, including, among others, the Los Angeles Times, The Nation Magazine, Foreign Affairs, The New York Observer and The World Policy Journal. He blogs on Huffingtonpost.com and Maximsnews.com.