What is the John Quincy Adams Society?

The John Quincy Adams Society is an independent organization committed to identifying, educating, and equipping the next generation of scholars and policy leaders to encourage a new era of realism and restraint in American foreign policy.

Who can join the John Quincy Adams Society?

The Society’s core is people who work in U.S. foreign policy, who are seeking work in U.S. foreign policy, or who are considering a career in U.S. foreign policy, and who broadly share our vision.

Why are you named after John Quincy Adams?

JQA was an accomplished diplomat who famously advised America to “go not abroad in search of monsters to destroy.” He said America should be the “well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all” but the “champion and vindicator only of her own.” We think this is a good starting point for a better American foreign policy.

What is realism and restraint?

Realism and restraint is an approach to U.S. foreign policy that emphasizes limits, prudence, and prioritization. Let’s break down the two elements.

Realism has many interpreters, but realists tend to see interest, power, and fear as the main drivers of nations’ behavior. That isn’t the same as saying that behavior driven by interest, power, and fear is always good, or that these are the only drivers of states’ behavior, or that states will never act from other motives. Rather, realism asserts that effective statecraft must take their centrality into account. Realists often have a strong sense of the limits of what states can achieve given others’ interest, power, and fear.

Restraint describes a movement away from the frequent wars and the aspirations to control the global security environment that marked post-Cold War U.S. foreign policy. How sharply the United States ought to turn from that era and what we should aim for instead are matters we see as up for debate within the broad family of perspectives that make up the restraint movement. As a professional organization, we have a big tent and do not think it is our place to resolve such questions. We do tend to believe realism is the surest theoretical anchor for a U.S. foreign policy of restraint, but there are many in our tent who take a different view.

When was the Society founded?

The Society was established in the late summer of 2016 with our founding executive director, John Allen Gay, at the helm.

Is the John Quincy Adams Society a partisan organization?

No. The Society is not a partisan organization and is not affiliated with any political party. It does not endorse candidates, engage in electoral activity, solicit funding for campaigns, or any other partisan activity. Indeed, the Society has long sought to include people from all across the political spectrum in our work.

Is the John Quincy Adams Society a political organization?

No. The John Quincy Adams Society is not a political organization. The Society is only concerned with developing and advancing talented individuals in the U.S. foreign policy space. Some members of the Society may involve themselves in political work, activism, etc., but they do so in their individual capacity, and not as members of the Society.

Does the John Quincy Adams Society lobby?

No. The John Quincy Adams Society is not a lobbying organization. The Society employs no lobbyists and engages in no lobbying.

Is the John Quincy Adams Society a think tank?

No. The Society is a professional organization, not a think tank, and does not take institutional policy positions. You may see research papers on our website, but these are produced by individual participants in our Marcellus Policy Fellowship and are produced to advance their research skills; they are not produced to influence policy conversations.

Is the John Quincy Adams Society left wing or right wing?

No. The John Quincy Adams Society takes no stance on U.S. domestic politics. Our staff includes multiple perspectives, and our membership is all across the political spectrum. Individuals with ties to the Society have served in presidential administrations and Congressional offices of both major parties. Some members do not even have strong views about domestic politics. We stand for our principles of greater realism and restraint and partner with those who broadly share that vision, wherever they may be politically. In some years, we will see more people from one side tending to associate with us. In other years, it’s the other side. We expect that pattern to continue because political alignments are transient, while our principles are not.

Does the John Quincy Adams Society take organizational positions on particular issues or countries?

No. The John Quincy Adams Society takes no institutional positions on any specific policy question or country. We favor greater realism and restraint in U.S. foreign policy. It is up to individuals who share our vision to determine what that means in particular contexts. We do not sign coalition letters, lobby, or call members of Congress urging action on legislation. You may see policy papers on our website, but these are the work of individual participants in our Marcellus Policy Fellowship and do not represent the Society’s views. You may see individuals with Society ties taking positions on particular issues. These individuals do so in their personal capacity and their views cannot be attributed to the Society as a whole. Society programs feature a range of perspectives.

Consistent with this stance, the Society prohibits its campus chapters from engaging in the above activities, too. Any such action is taken ultra vires. Individual people in campus chapters, acting as individuals, are also free to engage in all manner of activities, but they do not represent the Society in doing so.

Who funds the John Quincy Adams Society?

The Society only accepts grants and donations from American people and American philanthropies that broadly share our vision of realism and restraint, and who wish to advance the common good of the United States. If that sounds like you, please visit our Support Us page and become a donor.

Does the John Quincy Adams Society accept money from foreign governments?

No. The John Quincy Adams Society does not accept money from foreign governments. We believe this would be in tension with our mission of advancing a U.S. foreign policy of realism and restraint. As realists, we expect any government to generally act to advance its own interests. We aim to advance U.S. interests. U.S. interests are not the same as foreign interests, and in some cases may be divergent. Because of America’s great power and global influence, many countries seek to secure American support for their own ends, or to direct American attention away from problems they cause for America. Both friendly and unfriendly governments engage in such behavior, including through donations to Washington institutions.

Our stance is consistent with counsel from John Quincy Adams that America “well knows that by once enlisting under other banners than her own, were they even the banners of foreign Independence, she would involve herself beyond the power of extrication, in all the wars of interest and intrigue, of individual avarice, envy, and ambition, which assume the colors and usurp the standard of freedom.” George Washington was of a similar mind: “There can be no greater error than to expect or calculate upon real favors from nation to nation”.

I’m a U.S. foreign policy professional. How can I get involved?

We have many programs for you, including monthly reading groups, an early-career fellowship, a mid-career fellowship, regular networking events in the Washington, D.C. area, individualized advice, a weekly roundup of opportunities, and more. We recommend you sign up for the Society’s newsletter to stay informed, because we are always adding new opportunities.

I want a career in foreign policy. How can the John Quincy Adams Society help me?

We can help you learn where to look and how to be competitive for U.S. foreign policy jobs. We hold regular reading groups and networking events in Washington that can help you make connections. We have a fellowship for those with less than two years of foreign policy experience, too. We also recommend you sign up for our weekly newsletter, which includes a roundup of foreign policy internships, jobs, fellowships, and so forth. We can also provide individualized advice.

I’m a student. How can I get involved?

The richest opportunity for students is involvement in one of our campus chapters. We can connect you with one on your campus if it already exists; if not, we have nearly a decade of experience in helping students build chapters. Campus chapters provide regular interaction with peers who share your interests, vision, and goals in a space dedicated to developing as foreign policy professionals. They provide an opportunity to host expert speakers, conduct crisis simulations, discuss major foreign policy issues, develop presentation and debate skills, connect with a national network of peers and professionals, hold reading groups, and more. You can learn more about our campus chapters here.

We also have several opportunities available to individual students, including personalized career advice, national reading groups, and our Marcellus Policy Fellowship.

We strongly advise all students to sign up for our weekly newsletter with jobs, internships, and other opportunities, along with a roundup of news and commentary around the U.S. foreign policy space.

The Society maintains state-of-the-art knowledge on hiring in all sorts of roles around the U.S. defense and foreign policy space.

What do campus chapters of the John Quincy Adams Society do?

Campus chapters of the John Quincy Adams Society engage in a range of activities that further the intellectual and professional development of their members and their fellow students.

• Chapters bring a robust debate about foreign policy to their campuses, benefiting the learning environment. Many university international relations faculty are not realists and are not restrainers, so Society chapters can offer a fresh perspective and contribute to the development of well-rounded U.S. foreign policy professionals.
• In service of this, chapters have access to the Society’s expansive network of speakers. These speakers have expertise on a wide range of topics affecting U.S. foreign policy.
• Similarly, the Society’s strong focus on U.S. foreign policy and international security better aligns the campus conversation with actual professional opportunities in our sector, which are concentrated in these areas.
• Our chapters benefit from the Society’s archive of learning modules on a range of foreign policy topics. These modules are intended to provide a “meeting in a box” to enable chapters to have strong meeting content again and again.
• The Society can provide books for chapter-level reading groups.
• Chapters can engage with campus and local foreign policy related organizations like World Affairs Councils, ROTC, international chambers of commerce, honorary consuls, the defense sector, and so forth.
• Chapters bring students into the Society’s extensive network of professionals and alumni.  This is a valuable asset for anyone looking to launch a career in foreign policy or even to understand their options.

I’m a professor. How can I get involved?

There are two main pathways for faculty involvement with the John Quincy Adams Society:

• You can sponsor a chapter of the Society on your campus. Faculty support often helps chapters achieve longevity, access campus resources (like reserving rooms), and advertise events. In turn, chapters can be an environment for professors to interact more with the most highly engaged students.
• Faculty can host a reading group, with the Society providing books and a meal. Your expertise can help students have a robust discussion of the reading material.

If you’d like to know more, please contact Adam Abdel-Qader.

How does the John Quincy Adams Society differ from other foreign policy organizations?

The John Quincy Adams Society is focused on talent: we achieve our mission by advancing people, not by developing policy, supporting the passage of legislation, etc.

What programs does the John Quincy Adams Society offer?

The Society has many programs, and you should look at our website to see what we currently offer. Some of our mainstays include the Strategic Leaders Fellowship (a networking and educational program for midcareer foreign policy professionals), our monthly reading group, our jobs and internships newsletter, our networking events, and the Marcellus Policy Fellowship (a policy writing program for early career foreign policy professionals, promising students, and people trying to break into early career foreign policy opportunities).

Is the John Quincy Adams Society only for Americans?

The common denominator for most Society members is a desire to work in U.S. foreign policy and for a U.S. foreign policy guided by greater realism and restraint. This may include some people who are not presently Americans, but who seek to become Americans. Many jobs in the U.S. foreign policy field are only open to U.S. citizens.

What impact has the John Quincy Adams Society had so far?

John Quincy Adams Society alumni have been appointed to roles in presidential administrations of both parties. They have served on the staff of members of Congress of both parties. They have worked throughout the executive branch, at contractors, and in national-security-related private-sector companies. They have worked at think tanks and advocacy organizations and served in our nation’s military.

The Society has helped these individuals develop their professional abilities and expertise, expand their peer network, transition between fields, and more. Sometimes we’ve been able to put in a good word with a potential employer, or gotten wind of opportunities before they’re known to the public. Our favorite impact stories involve people from our programs working together for good effects without us even being aware – that shows that our organization is truly becoming a community.

How is the John Quincy Adams Society governed?

The Society is a 501c3 nonprofit organization governed by its board of directors in accord with its bylaws and articles of incorporation. Its day-to-day activities are under the supervision of an executive director. You may learn more on our Leadership page.

I’m hiring for a role relevant to U.S. foreign policy. How can the Society help me?

We are generally willing to include listings for such roles in our weekly newsletter. We may also be able to identify potential candidates from among our large network of program alumni and others with Society ties. If you wish to have a role considered for inclusion in the Society’s weekly newsletter, contact Michael Culp. If you wish to source candidates, we recommend you contact Scott McCann.

I’m a career counselor. How can the Society help my students?

Many career counselors find the Society’s weekly newsletter helpful. It contains a roundup of opportunities in U.S. foreign policy, including jobs, internships, and career-advancing fellowships, openings, and resources. If you have many students interested in U.S. foreign policy careers, we may be able to engage with them more directly at scale. Contact A.J. Manuzzi for more information.

Does the John Quincy Adams Society offer scholarships?

No. The John Quincy Adams Society does not offer scholarships. You may find useful information about opportunities like that in our weekly newsletter, which rounds up opportunities in foreign policy.

Is the John Quincy Adams Society part of the Quincy Institute?

No. The John Quincy Adams Society is not part of the Quincy Institute. The John Quincy Adams Society an independent organization. The Quincy Institute is a think tank. The John Quincy Adams Society is a professional organization. Both organizations are named after John Quincy Adams, but they are not the same organization.

Is the John Quincy Adams Society related to the John Adams Society?

No.

Is the John Quincy Adams Society a student group?

Yes and no. The Society includes campus chapters. At the time of its founding (2016) the Society only worked on campuses. However, within a few years of its founding, the Society expanded its work to include early-career and then mid-career U.S. foreign policy professionals. Professionals now form the center of gravity of our organization, although we remain present on campuses, too.

Are John Quincy Adams Society campus chapters the same thing as an international relations club?

Not quite. There are several important differences between John Quincy Adams Society campus chapters and a traditional international relations club.

These differences include our professional orientation, national network, and focus on a U.S. foreign policy grounded in realism and restraint.

1. Our campus chapters are connected to our national organization and thus benefit from its connections in Washington, its programs, its resources, its alumni network, its brand, and its institutional knowledge of the foreign policy career space. People in a JQA Society campus chapter are at the beginning of what we hope will be a long professional relationship with the national Society, one which will greatly benefit their career advancement. Traditional IR clubs usually have none of these things.
2. The Society is focused on the foreign policy of the United States, not on international relations generally. You may see a campus chapter discuss the foreign policy of another country, or international relations theory, or major international trends, but the animating purpose of such discussions is to better inform the foreign policy of the United States.
3. The Society has a centering vision of realism and restraint in U.S. foreign policy. While we have a big tent and are nonpartisan and eager for open debate and discussion, we do have a general direction we’d like to see U.S. foreign policy moving.
4. The Society’s vision means it tends to focus on questions of security and grand strategy. You are unlikely to hear discussions of the Sustainable Development Goals, UNESCO, the Conference of Parties, and so forth, except to the extent that such matters interact with international security.

What is the John Quincy Adams Society newsletter?

The John Quincy Adams Society newsletter is a handpicked roundup of jobs, internships, career opportunities, and news and commentary on U.S. foreign policy. It comes out every week, usually on Fridays. You can see an example of the newsletter here, and sign up here.

What are some names for the John Quincy Adams Society?

You may hear people call the John Quincy Adams Society “the JQA Society,” “JQAS,” “the Society,” or even just “JQA.”