Walid Boukaa

Thesis title:

The Peace Corps: A Tool of U.S. Foreign Policy in the Service of the Democratic Model

Abstract of the thesis in French:

In the late 1950s, the USSR was gaining ground in the Third World, and communist ideology was appealing to non-aligned and newly decolonized nations. In the United States, this situation fostered a sense of insecurity among American leaders, who feared a global communist expansion. In this context marked by East-West confrontation, President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps, an independent agency of the U.S. government, whose mission is to promote peace and friendship around the world, particularly in developing countries. The objective of this thesis is to demonstrate how this agency has, over time, become an indispensable tool of U.S. foreign policy that disseminates the principles and values of democracy, consolidates its foundations in the Third World (to combat extremist ideologies such as communism during the Cold War and radical Islamism after the September 11 attacks), and ensures the survival of this model, which is threatened by this new wave of autocracy.

Abstract in English:

In the late 1950s, the USSR was gaining ground in the Third World, and communist ideology was appealing to non-aligned and newly decolonized states. In the United States, this situation fostered a sense of insecurity among American leaders who feared a global communist expansion. Against this backdrop of East-West confrontation, President John F. Kennedy created the Peace Corps, an independent agency of the U.S. government, with a mission to promote world peace and friendship, especially among developing nations. The purpose of this thesis is to demonstrate how this agency has, over time, become an indispensable tool of U.S. foreign policy, spreading the principles and values of democracy, consolidating its foundations in the Third World (to combat extremist ideologies such as communism during the Cold War and radical Islamism after 9/11), and ensuring the survival of this model, which is now threatened by a new wave of autocracy.

Thesis advisor:Eric Savarese