korrents
Daniel W. Drezner

Daniel W. Drezner

@daniel-drezner · 40 positions · 2 changes of mind · On ppll ↗

Political scientist writing Drezner’s World on international relations, American politics and the marketplace of ideas; author of The Ideas Industry.

Daniel W. Drezner did not write this page.

We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.

5 of Daniel W. Drezner's claims fit 5 mental models. Most often: Cognitive biases, Collective action problems, Play long games.

Models they name

Their own words name the idea.

Collective action problems

What everyone would gain from, nobody provides alone, so shared goods need someone or something to hold people together.

Used by 23 others

Sustaining collective action against the federal government is difficult

  1. Daniel W. Drezner Political scientist writing Drezner’s World on international relations a hard-earned lesson of the past few months is that mobilizing collective action against the federal government is hard. That’s Not How Academic Freedom Works, Vanderbilt Trustees!!danieldrezner.substack.com · 10 Sept 2026All korrents from this piece
    Their wordsa hard-earned lesson of the past few months is that mobilizing collective action against the federal government is hard.

    ↗That’s Not How Academic Freedom Works, Vanderbilt Trustees!!danieldrezner.substack.com

    10 Sept 2026

Models we see in what they say

Our reading: their claim applies the idea without naming it. The claim is theirs; filing it here is ours.

Cognitive biases

Your mind jumps to conclusions and defends them; look for the evidence against you and use checklists.

Used by 24 others

Governments running pressure campaigns tend to wishfully overestimate how close the adversary is to collapse.

  1. Daniel W. Drezner Political scientist writing Drezner’s World on international relations A second pathology is the administration's wishcasting that Iran is just days away from collapsing. The Trump Administration Strategy Faildanieldrezner.substack.com · 9 Sept 2026All korrents from this piece
    Their wordsA second pathology is the administration's wishcasting that Iran is just days away from collapsing.

    ↗The Trump Administration Strategy Faildanieldrezner.substack.com

    9 Sept 2026

Play long games

A longer horizon makes some problems solvable and some short-term wins look like what they are.

Used by 41 others

A leader too impatient to sustain a waiting game will undermine strategies built on economic pressure and waiting out an adversary.

  1. Daniel W. Drezner Political scientist writing Drezner’s World on international relations Trump is lousy at playing a waiting game, and that's what this strategy entails The Trump Administration Strategy Faildanieldrezner.substack.com · 9 Sept 2026All korrents from this piece
    Their wordsTrump is lousy at playing a waiting game, and that's what this strategy entails

    ↗The Trump Administration Strategy Faildanieldrezner.substack.com

    9 Sept 2026

Second-order thinking

Ask "and then what?": follow a decision past its first effect to the ones that come after.

Used by 89 others

Overusing financial statecraft, allying with overseas populists, or prolonged anti-immigrant policy will push even close U.S. allies toward alternatives to dollar- and Wall Street-centered systems.

  1. Daniel W. Drezner Political scientist writing Drezner’s World on international relations Excessive use of financial statecraft, alliances with overseas populists, or prolonged bouts of anti-immigrant hysteria, however, will force even close allies to start thinking about alternatives. The Dollar Will Be the Last Pillar To Falldanieldrezner.substack.com · 14 Sept 2026All korrents from this piece
    Their wordsExcessive use of financial statecraft, alliances with overseas populists, or prolonged bouts of anti-immigrant hysteria, however, will force even close allies to start thinking about alternatives.

    ↗The Dollar Will Be the Last Pillar To Falldanieldrezner.substack.com

    14 Sept 2026

Trade-offs

Every choice gives something up, so name the cost; and check, because some trade-offs everyone assumes are not real.

Used by 66 others

There is always a tradeoff between a system's efficiency and its resilience.

  1. Daniel W. Drezner Political scientist writing Drezner’s World on international relations Of course, pledges and plans do not always bear fruit. And Canada’s geography cannot be changed; no matter how much Carney tries to diversify Canada’s economy away from the United States, there will always be some asymmetric dependence. Worthwhile Canadian Initiative?danieldrezner.substack.com · 2 Oct 2026
    Their wordsOf course, pledges and plans do not always bear fruit. And Canada’s geography cannot be changed; no matter how much Carney tries to diversify Canada’s economy away from the United States, there will always be some asymmetric dependence.

    ↗Worthwhile Canadian Initiative?danieldrezner.substack.com

    2 Oct 2026