The "World Social Science Advanced Lecture" (No. 83), organized by the Fudan Institute for Advanced Study in Social Sciences (Fudan IAS), was held on May 22, 2026, at Fudan University. Jolyon Howorth, Jean Monnet Professor ad personam and Professor Emeritus of European Politics, University of Bath, gave a lecture entitled The Fate of NATO and European Strategic Autonomy in the Era of Trump. Professor Howorth held appointments and visiting fellowships at different universities and institutions, e.g., the University of Bath, Yale University, Harvard University, Sciences-Po, the Free University of Berlin. He is the author of several books, including The European Union and National Defence Policy, European Integration and Defence: The Ultimate Challenge?, Defending Europe: The EU, NATO and the Quest for European Autonomy, Security and Defence Policy in the European Union. Professor Sujian Guo, Dean and Distinguished Professor of Fudan IAS, chaired this event.

Professor Howorth began with Eisenhower’s 1951 warning: “If in 10 years, all American troops stationed in Europe for national defense purposes have not been returned to the United States, then this whole project will have failed.” More than seventy years later, NATO has instead become a permanent arrangement. Professor Howorth pointed out that this stems from both sides getting what they want—for Europe, “defense on the chip”, for the United States, “hegemony on the cheap”. The year 2016 marked tectonic shifts for European security: Brexit deprived the EU of one of its most important military forces, while Trump’s election cast serious doubt on NATO’s credibility. Professor Howorth characterized the transatlantic relationship since then as “dual schizophrenia”—Europe both yearns for strategic autonomy and fears being abandoned by the United States, while the United States both wants Europe to shoulder more responsibility and is unwilling to relinquish its leadership.

In light of these changes, Professor Howorth analyzed European countries’ efforts to achieve their security objectives through four “M”s: Money, Munitions, Mutual assistance and Mobility.

In the last part of the event, Professor Sujian Guo chaired the Q&A session. Professor answered each of the participants' questions in detail. The event concluded successfully.