Seth Rosenberg, a graduating student at Harvard University, was highlighted on May 22 for his research into the motivations behind war and conflict. Rosenberg, who served as a combat photographer in the Marine Corps before attending Harvard, will complete his studies with a double concentration in government and psychology.
Rosenberg’s experience working across military branches and traveling to many countries influenced his interest in understanding how power operates within international relations. “Power is the motivation for everyone’s actions,” Rosenberg said. “It’s very interesting to see how these dynamics play out again and again throughout history, and we still don’t know what drives them.”
Josh Kertzer, John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and of Government at Harvard, said that understanding why people fight is key to preventing future wars. “There was a time when scholars, not just in political science, but more broadly, were under the impression that war was disappearing,” Kertzer said. “Seth has this appreciation and understanding that the best way to prevent war from occurring is to understand why people fight in the first place.”
Hanh Annie Vu from Harvard’s Department of Psychology described Rosenberg’s focus on power as especially relevant today: “People tend to trivialize a lot of these conflicts as normal in-group and out-group, which really ignores their imbalance dynamic when it comes to power,” Vu said. “[Seth’s research focus] has always been relevant, but it’s not being paid enough attention to.” Sergio Imparato from the Department of Government also praised Rosenberg’s engagement with moral questions during seminar discussions.
After graduation, Rosenberg plans to pursue a Ph.D. in international relations at UC Berkeley. Reflecting on his journey from military service through academia, he advised others to remain open-minded about new opportunities.
Kertzer concluded by saying that veterans like Rosenberg enrich both their own education and the broader university community: “There’s a long history at Harvard of veterans coming to Harvard… It’s not just that he’s getting the opportunity to have this excellent training… but he really brings and contributes a lot to the classroom.”
