Friday, November 6, 2026 at 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
Stories Books & Cafe, Los Angeles
Imperialist Realism explores how Americans have come to accept their global empire not because they believe in its righteousness but because they believe no alternative to U.S. hegemony is possible. What does it feel like to live in a moment in which it is easier to imagine the end of the world than it is to imagine the end of the U.S. Empire? By analyzing the theory and practice of U.S. foreign policy, Imperialist Realism provides theoretical and empirical accounts of modern empire, liberalism, and global affairs. in convseration with Nando Vila Daniel Bessner is an historian and journalist. He is currently the Anne H.H. and Kenneth B. Pyle Associate Professor in American Foreign Policy in the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington. He is the author and editor of numerous books, including Imperialist Realism: Politics and Culture at the End of the American Century (Zero, 2026). Nando Vila is a producer and host. He currently serves as Head of Studio at Exile, where he oversees the studio’s film and television content strategy. At Exile, Nando produced In the Summers, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Other film credits include Los Reyes del Mundo, which won the top prize at The San Sebastian Film Festival, and Kill the Jockey, which is in Official Competition at The Venice Film Festival.