Wilson, «wilsonism» and Liberal Internationalism

The historical literature on Woodrow Wilson's foreign policy is vast and continuously enriched by new readings of its significance in the American international grand design of the 20th and 21st centuries. In the wake of the celebrations of the U.S. entrance in WWI, several scholars have taken the opportunity to reappraise such policy, highlighting its relevance for later presidents and secretaries of state. The essay reviews these recent works offering an analysis of the main tenets of «wilsonism» with special reference to its ideas of a «universal covenant» and a «cooperative peace». Thanks to the studies analyzed in this essay wilsonian liberal internationalism and democratic nationalism receive a new worthy appraisal.