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To launch the first ethical diplomacy and leadership program in any college or university in the United States, Dr. Hesham Elnakib is reviving an old idea for a new—and uncertain—age
Since World War II, the prevailing modus operandi of international diplomacy is that states act in their own self-interest.
It’s practical at best and anarchic at worst. While reductive, it helps explain how, say, the United States approaches its relationships with other nations around the world (and vice versa.)
What if there were a better way? That’s what Dr. Hesham Elnakib wants to know. And it’s what he’s at Anderson University to teach.
What led him from the halls of power in Cairo and at embassies around the world to a private, comprehensive Christian university in South Carolina is a complicated story. The simplest one is this: in 2023, Dr. Elnakib, former Ambassador Extraordinaire of Egypt, was speaking at a conference in Mississippi when he met Anderson University President Evans P. Whitaker. During a conversation “we developed this type of synergy, and we kept in touch. He invited me to come (to Anderson University) to give a series of lectures about the Middle East and about where I come from,” Dr. Elnakib said.
“We were discussing globalization and diplomacy, and we found ourselves sitting in a cafeteria discussing the possibility of coming here, not only to teach but to establish a new department of International Diplomacy and International Relations at Anderson University.”
And that’s how Dr. Elnakib sought to answer the question—what if there is a better way to foster healthy relationships among nations?—and to help create the first ethical diplomacy and leadership academic program in the United States.
Hesham Moussa Elnakib was born in 1961 in Cairo, Egypt, during a period of dramatic transformation in the Arab world.
He came of age in an era of unprecedented opportunity, one he embraced wholeheartedly. In 1984, he earned a Bachelor of Political Science at the American University in Cairo and, two years later, earned a second diploma in political science from the Institute of Diplomacy in Berlin, Germany. From there, he was off to Paris, France, earning a master’s in international relations from the International Institute of Public Administration in 1987. Finally, he earned his Ph.D. in post-Cold War Moscow while studying at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 2000.
That led to a nearly 40-year career as a professional diplomat and negotiator. And, in 2019, Dr. Elnakib was promoted to an Ambassador Extraordinaire—a recognition of his lifetime achievement to fostering peace and understanding among the nations of the world.
“Dr. Elnakib is the right person at the right time to help lead this exciting new program,” said President Whitaker. “As Anderson University continues to impact the world, it’s important that we impart to our students the Christian ethics and worldview they’ll need to not only live virtuous lives themselves, but spread the joy of Christ to others.”
Let’s get back to our original question: what if there were a better way to foster international relations?
What if, instead of nations focusing solely on their own self-interest, they sought the greatest good for the greatest number?
It’s called ethical diplomacy, and it’s the bedrock of the academic program Elnakib is creating
“Ethics and ontology are old disciplines; I would not claim that I’m inventing anything,” Dr. Elnakib said. “As a matter of fact, Plato and Aristotle talked about it. Then you have John Locke and Jean Jacque Rousseau and all those great sociologists during the Renaissance and even after the Renaissance they spoke about ethics and diplomacy. They laid the foundation of ethical diplomacy.
“It disappeared right after the Second World War. International relations are now based upon pragmatism,” he said. “But the Founding Fathers of this great nation (America) established it on a solid foundation of ethics, and that is why when, for example, I teach about the Middle East, I show my students how the great American missionaries did a brilliant job in establishing the great institutions that are still working today. As a product of the American University in Cairo, I am proof of this. It is one of the greatest American schools in the Middle East.”
Now he’s helping create one of the greatest American schools for international affairs and diplomacy in the United States. All right here at Anderson.
“I’m very optimistic because this is a Christian institution, and it would not have worked, to be honest with you, without a foundation of faith,” Dr. Elnakib said. “The students here have a really solid foundation of faith and they have good values and virtues. If I were to go to any secular university and try to establish this program, I don’t know how they would look at me. But this is the place where I can have young minds go a little bit outside their comfort zone. They have to have the passion for it. All I can do is provide them with the platform. But the passion is theirs.”
Meet Dr. Hesham Elnakib
Dr. Hesham Elnakib is Anderson University Distinguished Professor of Political Science and International Affairs. He served as the Ambassador Extraordinaire of Egypt, a professional diplomat and negotiator for over 38 years.
Within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Dr. Elnakib has held notable positions, including serving as the director of the cabinet of the First Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs and as the consul general at the Egyptian Consulate in New York (2017-2021) and San Francisco (2008-2013), where he fostered diplomatic relations between Egypt and the United States. He also served as the dean of the Egyptian Diplomatic Institute at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Egypt from 2014 to 2015, assistant minister of foreign affairs from 2015 to 2017 and advisor to the Egyptian Mission at the United Nations from 2021 to 2023, demonstrating his commitment to shaping the future of diplomacy.
Dr. Elnakib contributes regulary to international journals and magazines, where he shares his insights and expertise on diplomacy, international relations and history. His recent services include serving as the assistant minister for American affairs from 2016 to 2017.
Ambassador Elnakib has written for the Washington Post and the New York Times, as well as being a guest of US TV networks. He has lectured at universities and think tanks like Berkley, Stanford, UCLA, USC and George Mason, among others.
Dr. Elnakib received the Wall of Tolerance award for his dedication to promoting tolerance and understanding in 2002.He actively participated in organizations such as the National Press Club and the Academy of Political Science, highlighting his commitment to his field. He served as director, press counselor and spokesperson of Egypt from 2001 to 2007.
His Excellency Dr. Hesham Elnakib’s remarkable career trajectory, diverse educational background and significant contributions to diplomacy and academia make him a distinguished figure in the field of international relations and diplomacy. His dedication to fostering dialogue, promoting tolerance and educating future diplomats reflects his commitment to advancing global cooperation and understanding. In 2019, Dr. Elnakib was promoted to an Ambassador Extraordinaire in recognition of his lifetime achievements.
