Skip to 0 minutes and 10 seconds As different as we are, can we collaborate? With conflicting memories, can we build a world government? When talking about global order what immediately comes to mind are our past failures to make such a world possible, like the League of Nations, two and even three world wars, or failed states by the dozen and the current limit to electoral integrity. There are countless obstacles on the road to peace and prosperity. In the past, taking refuge in cultural values and identities was easier than interacting with foreigners. But living in isolation is not the only barrier to sound globalisation. Norms that once promoted free markets and elections as well as human rights are increasingly contested. Progress is no longer consensual.
Skip to 1 minute and 4 seconds Science has lost its appeal, and universal ethics is replaced by local rules of morality. Alternatives to the left/right divide of the West have become popular in the rest of the world. Confucianism and Islamism are back in the global South. Even in the global North the Republican creed, born during the revolutions of the 18th century, is now contested. Agreements between dozens of powers used to be commonplace. But today, with almost 200 countries, agreements seem unattainable. There are many more stakeholders beyond government, international organisations. While within each nation, minorities weaken its negotiating power. There are good news too. People are attached to world institutions. Inequality and injustice are increasingly criticised. Domination, oligarchy, hegemony are no longer accepted.
Skip to 2 minutes and 7 seconds Rising states endorse the existing rules, like international law or diplomatic protocols. Organisations expand. They address unsolved issues and enduring conflicts. Their networks are stronger. Their legitimacy is less doubted. But the dilemma persists in other guises. We can promote integration of our cultures and regimes into a global compound, or draw a demarcation line with strangers, foreign powers, and multilateral institutions. In this course, you will find fruitful thought about this dilemma and possibly solve it, at least for yourself.
