Public policy · Global affairs · World languages
Hi, I’m Walter Seth. I read, write, and speak across nine languages and explore major works in public policy, international relations, and global affairs. Many important books and ideas are not readily accessible across languages, so I review and discuss them in multiple world languages—helping more people join the conversation.
English • Spanish • Mandarin • Russian • Hindi • Arabic • Farsi • French • Korean
Explore the multilingual workIntroduction starts muted.
My work begins with a book, but the purpose is larger:
01 / Watch
Browse my Policy Lab discussions by language. Each collection expands automatically as new videos are published.
02 / Books
I organize my work by book, keeping the central policy question and every available language discussion together in one collection.
National Security · Terrorism · Foreign Fighters
I selected this book to examine why foreign-fighter networks endure after wars end and how governments should respond to the long-term security risks they create.
The questionWhy do foreign-fighter networks survive after wars end—and what can governments do about them?
Global Governance · United Nations · Institutional Reform
I selected this book to examine how an indispensable international institution can be reformed when its structure and member states resist change.
The questionCan the United Nations be reformed enough to meet contemporary global challenges?
National Security · Strategy · Diplomacy
I selected this foundational Cold War study to examine how governments try to make deterrence credible without making escalation more likely.
The questionCan nuclear deterrence preserve stability without normalizing the possibility of catastrophe?
Diplomacy · U.S. Foreign Policy · Strategy
I selected this classic to examine Kennan’s warning that American foreign policy can lose prudence when moral certainty outruns a clear understanding of power and national interest.
The questionHow should the United States balance its values with the realities of power?
03 / About Me
I’m Walter Seth, a homeschooled rising sophomore in the San Francisco Bay Area. I enjoy languages, calligraphy, exploring different writing systems, and learning about cultures around the world. Across nine languages, I can connect with communities spanning more than 100 countries and nearly 5 billion first- and second-language speaker connections worldwide.
I’m looking for volunteer and unpaid internship opportunities where I can use my language skills to contribute to community, civic, and cross-cultural projects. If there’s a project where I can help, I’d love to hear from you.
I welcome connections with academics, policymakers, think tanks, journalists, podcasters, and mentors interested in public policy, global affairs, and multilingual communication.
These are the books on my reading and video list. Planned discussions will appear in the library as I publish them.
| Title | Author | Topic | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diplomacy | Henry Kissinger | Diplomacy & international relations | Planned |
| Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden | Steve Coll | Intelligence & Afghanistan | Planned |
| The White Man’s Burden | William Easterly | International development & aid | Planned |
| Development as Freedom | Amartya Sen | Development & human capabilities | Planned |
| Globalization and Its Discontents | Joseph E. Stiglitz | Globalization & economics | Planned |
| People, Power, and Profits | Joseph E. Stiglitz | Political economy | Planned |
| The Price of Inequality | Joseph E. Stiglitz | Economic inequality | Planned |
| American Diplomacy | George F. Kennan | U.S. foreign policy | Published · Watch 4 discussions → |
| Freefall: America, Free Markets, and the Sinking of the World Economy | Joseph E. Stiglitz | Financial crises & economics | Planned |
| Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making | Deborah Stone | Public policy & decision-making | Planned |
| A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide | Samantha Power | Human rights & genocide | Planned |
| The Council on Foreign Relations: A Short History | George Gavrilis | Foreign-policy institutions & history | Planned |
| What’s Wrong with the United Nations and How to Fix It | Thomas G. Weiss | Global governance & the United Nations | Published · Watch 4 discussions → |
| Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies | John W. Kingdon | Policy agendas & policymaking | Planned |
| Road Warriors: Foreign Fighters in the Armies of Jihad | Daniel Byman | National security & foreign fighters | Published · Watch 4 discussions → |
| Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance | Douglass C. North | Institutions & economic history | Planned |
| How Enemies Become Friends: The Sources of Stable Peace | Charles A. Kupchan | Diplomacy & peace | Planned |
| Hobbes: Leviathan | Thomas Hobbes | Political philosophy | Planned |
| The Logic of Collective Action: Public Goods and the Theory of Groups | Mancur Olson | Collective action & public goods | Planned |
| The Republic: A New Translation | Plato | Political philosophy | Planned |
| Nuclear Weapons & Foreign Policy | Henry Kissinger | Nuclear strategy & foreign policy | Published · Watch 4 discussions → |
| The Federalist Papers | Alexander Hamilton, James Madison & John Jay | Constitutional government | Planned |
| How Congress Works and Why You Should Care | Lee H. Hamilton | Congress & civic participation | Planned |
| White House Years | Henry Kissinger | Diplomatic memoir & U.S. foreign policy | Planned |
| Constitutional Law: Principles and Policies | Erwin Chemerinsky | Constitutional law | Planned |
| The Future of Power | Joseph S. Nye Jr. | Power & international relations | Planned |
| Years of Upheaval | Henry Kissinger | Diplomatic memoir & U.S. foreign policy | Planned |
| Does America Need a Foreign Policy? Toward a Diplomacy for the 21st Century | Henry Kissinger | U.S. foreign policy & diplomacy | Planned |
| Years of Renewal | Henry Kissinger | Diplomatic memoir & U.S. foreign policy | Planned |
| Do Morals Matter? Presidents and Foreign Policy from FDR to Trump | Joseph S. Nye Jr. | Ethics & foreign policy | Planned |
| Getting to Yes | Roger Fisher & William Ury | Negotiation | Planned |
| Difficult Conversations | Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton & Sheila Heen | Communication & conflict resolution | Planned |
| Leadership: Six Studies in World Strategy | Henry Kissinger | Leadership & diplomatic history | Planned |
| World Order | Henry Kissinger | International order & diplomacy | Planned |
| Crisis: The Anatomy of Two Major Foreign Policy Crises | Henry Kissinger | Diplomatic crisis management | Planned |
| On China | Henry Kissinger | China & diplomacy | Planned |
| Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment | Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony & Cass Sunstein | Judgment & decision-making | Planned |
| Thinking, Fast and Slow | Daniel Kahneman | Cognitive psychology & decision-making | Planned |
| California Politics and Government: A Practical Approach | Larry Gerston & Terry Christensen | California government | Planned |
| Comparative Politics | Daniele Caramani | Comparative government | Planned |
| Valuing Life: Humanizing the Regulatory State | Cass R. Sunstein | Regulation & public policy | Planned |
| Administrative Behavior, 4th Edition | Herbert A. Simon | Public administration & organizations | Planned |
| The Cost-Benefit Revolution | Cass R. Sunstein | Regulation & cost-benefit analysis | Planned |
| Legislative Law and Process | Jack Davies | Legislation & legal process | Planned |