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Bruce W. Jentleson, William Preston Few Distinguished Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Political Science at Duke University, has been appointed to serve a two-year term on the Committee on Conscience, which plays a key advisory role for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. This term runs through September 30, 2027.
The Committee on Conscience (CoC) was created by the Museum’s founding chairman, Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, to fulfill his vision that the Museum should do for victims today what was not done for the victims of the Holocaust. The Committee mandate is to “alert the national conscience, influence policy makers, and stimulate worldwide action to confront and work to halt acts of genocide or related crimes against humanity.” In this role, it provides advice to the Museum’s Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide, which both serves as a non-partisan resource to Congress and presidential administrations and works with the scholarly community researching strategies for the prevention of genocide, mass atrocities, and other crimes against humanity. The Committee meets twice each year, both virtually and at the Museum’s Washington, D.C. headquarters.
Jentleson’s appointment recognizes his decades of scholarship and public service on these issues, including having worked previously with the Simon-Skjodt Center as well as with the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflict, a bipartisan commission co-chaired by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and served on the editorial board of the journal Global Responsibility to Protect.. At Duke, he leads the Provost’s Initiative on the Middle East, which fosters rigorous and respectful dialogue on historical and current conflicts in the region. The initiative brings together scholars, policymakers, and community voices to encourage evidence-based discussion and a deeper understanding of a region central to U.S. foreign policy.
“Bruce Jentleson’s leadership and scholarship exemplify the values we hold at Sanford,” said Manoj Mohanan, Interim Dean of the Sanford School of Public Policy. “This appointment is a fitting recognition of his long-standing contributions to the study and practice of international affairs and his commitment to applying scholarly expertise to pressing moral and ethical challenges. We are proud that Bruce will bring both intellectual rigor and moral conviction to this important national role.”
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Jentleson is an internationally recognized authority on foreign policy and national security, frequently called upon by local and national news outlets to provide commentary on global events. His research includes economic sanctions, global governance, and the ethics of intervention. His 2022 book, Sanctions: What Everyone Needs to Know, has been widely cited in policy debates and utilized in both academic and practitioner settings. Other books include The Peacemakers: Leadership Lessons from 20th Century Statesmanship.
“Professor Jentleson’s distinguished career has bridged teaching, scholarship and public service in a way that embodies Duke’s mission and values,” said Alec D. Gallimore, Provost and Chief Academic Officer of Duke University. “Through his leadership of the Provost’s Initiative on the Middle East, and now through his service on the Committee on Conscience, he continues to demonstrate his deep commitment to advancing dialogue, understanding, and action on some of the most challenging issues of our time.”
For Jentleson, the appointment represents both a personal honor and a continuation of his life’s work. He has long argued that foreign policy must be informed by both moral and strategic considerations, and his scholarship often highlights the human consequences of international decisions. He also has been part of the Bridging the Gap leadership team which for the last 20 years has played a leading role in connecting the academic and policy worlds. His role on the Committee will allow him to contribute to the Museum’s efforts to prevent genocide and mass atrocities in today’s world.
Jentleson joins a distinguished group of scholars, policymakers, and advocates who serve on the Committee. Together, they provide guidance that helps ensure the Holocaust Memorial Museum not only teaches the lessons of history but also acts on them.