Reimagining American Statesmanship
Statesmanship: exceptional leadership characterized by vision, courage, compassion, effectiveness, and civility.
My work focuses on how we can reimagine and create a new culture of statesmanship in the United States. One that will help the nation confront such challenges as climate, budget deficits and debt, immigration, racial tension, polarization, and equity. Is it possible to create a culture of statesmanship similar to that demonstrated by the Revolutionary/Founding, Post-World War II, and Civil Rights generations?
Chicago Tribune Statesmanship essays
Chicago Tribune Editor’s note: John T. Shaw’s pieces, exclusive to the Tribune, will appear the last Monday of each month. He plans to focus on how statesmanship, typically associated with national and international figures, is evident in others who escape wide notice—mayors who craft bold plans and take political risks to bring their dreams to fruition, city planners who prepare creative long-term strategies for their communities, and state legislators who break from party orthodoxy and advance proposals to solve problems. He also will highlight leaders who squander opportunities for statesmanship.
Congresswomen Unite for Immigration Reform and Show us the Statesmanship that’s Possible (Sept. 29, 2025)
State Sen. Dale Fowler Prioritizes the Public Good Over Partisan Concerns (Aug. 25, 2025)
Philanthropy Leader Fights Fear and Envisions a Better World (July 28, 2025)
Wesleyan University’s President Stands Up for Higher Education as it’s Under Assault (June 30, 2025)
A Statesman’s Formula — Statecraft, Stagecraft and Soulcraft (May 26, 2025)
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde’s Spiritual Statesmanship is a Model for All of Us (April 28, 2025)
Former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar Exemplifies Courage, Candor and Stewardship (March 31, 2025)
Danielle Sassoon’s Stirring Act of Statesmanship Sends Forth a ‘Ripple of Hope’ (Feb. 24, 2025)
Congress Could Take a Lesson on Independence from a Southern Indiana Moderate (Jan. 27, 2025)
University President Shows that Statesmanship Can Work Wonders in Academia (Jan. 1, 2025)
During a Dark Presidential Campaign, Glimmers of Statesmanship Shined Through (Nov. 25, 2024)
During a Time of Hatred Toward Immigrants, Here’s How Statesmanship Can Bridge the Divide (Oct. 29, 2024)
Indiana US Sen. Richard Lugar Offered a Master Class in Statesmanship (Sept. 30, 2024)
Our Nation Needs Muscular Rhetoric and Problem-solving Statesmanship (Sept. 10, 2024)
Former Ottawa Mayor Robert Eschbach’s Inspiring Illinois Statesmanship (Aug. 16, 2024)
All of my Tribune columns are available here
Restoring American Statesmanship Class
My university-level honors class introduces students to the concept of statesmanship. I encourage them to probe my definition as they examine historical examples which illustrate the power, and possibilities, of statesmanship.
My follow up class, Reimaging American Statesmanship, uses the core concepts of statesmanship to examine how we can confront political and social challenges including climate change, deficits and debt, racial tensions, income inequality, and immigration reform.
Books and Monographs
