The Education of an Idealist

"The Education of an Idealist" is a memoir by Samantha Power, an American journalist, human rights scholar, and government official. The book details her journey from her childhood in Ireland and the United States to her experiences as a foreign correspondent covering conflicts like the Bosnian War.1

Power's work is characterized by her belief in humanitarian intervention and the use of state power to prevent genocides. She argues that in extreme circumstances, military intervention is legitimate and necessary when a state commits atrocities against its own people. The memoir also touches upon her roles in the Obama and Biden administrations, including her time as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. The concept of idealism, as explored in philosophy, relates to reason's role in creating social and cultural institutions and the ethical use of power.12