We understand governance as a social practice and consider global governance institutions elite networks that shape normative regimes as well as transnational policy agendas, through concepts such as the Global South or sustainable development. Arguably, the liberal norms influencing the practice of global governance institutions are eroding. What is taking their place? Are they merely going through a permutation or is something more fundamental at stake? What are the underlying causes of the current breakdown of globalization, flaring growth of the world economy, and the rise in militarism? Which new scenarios provide hope for a peaceful future?
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Arguably, established neoliberal norms influencing the practice of global governance institutions until recently are eroding. What is taking their place? What alternatives to neoliberalism emerge from our current poly-crisis? We have yet to witness which states, actors and institutions will become central in creating an alternative, a new narrative, which may alter our perception and understanding of global governance. Greener visions of the future, however, whether they be framed by planetary boundaries, the wellbeing economy, degrowth or other collective action frames, seem to bring different conceptions of value, expertise, economics and political success criteria to the fore. The question remains how successful they can be in today’s dramatically different geopolitical realities – or if they have realistic chances at success in the first place.
The planet’s societies require a new normative and legal framing, a new ‘nomos of the earth’ – a term with a heavy historical load – which must be rooted in thinking social justice and environmental standards in planetary terms. While there is by now an abundance of critical research on neoliberalism and its past (often quite normative in its positioning against neoliberalism), there is a need for open-minded research clearly directed at the future of global governance and based on planetary or green thinking. Particularly in times like ours, a new green vision for the planet that embraces social, economic and political theories is needed. Again, there is an abundance of critical voices – and a need to channel these into constructive input for change.
During the age of globalization, neoliberalism took root as the hegemonic ideology. It imploded in the past years. The United Nations are nowhere near the negotiating table in today’s conflicts, the WHO struggles for legitimacy after the Corona pandemic, international courts are blamed for being political and countries cut their affiliations. The Bretton Woods institutions (IMF, World Bank, WTO) are still highly influential (with the WTO losing most of its standing, however) and the global financial system is still mostly based on the dollar. Yet, there are new movements undermining the Bretton Woods institutions, such as the BRICS+ organization, aiming at de-dollarizing the world economy and building a second institutional network, a second world economy independent of democracy and human rights. Wars are raging, antisemitism and general identity fundamentalism too, and a way in which we can peacefully (and for our mutual benefit) manage our planet in a legitimate institutional setting suddenly seems out of sight. We want to think about it and contribute to building visions for peaceful global governance after the implosion of neoliberalism.
What alternative knowledge and visions are already in play? How can we rethink international economics when globalization retreats? Without globalization, how can we theorize societies and their relations anew? What kind of history and legal thought do we need for a new, alternative, inclusive, peaceful future?
