World Politics Without Illusions

“The old rules-based world order is not coming back.”

— Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, World Economic Forum, Davos 

For decades we were told that international politics runs on rules: international law, diplomacy, and cooperation. However, if you follow the news today, a more uncomfortable question keeps appearing: who do those rules really apply to? 

 At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recently argued that the old world order is unlikely to return. According to him, middle-sized countries will have to rethink their place in a world where major powers increasingly set the terms.  

But that observation also raises a deeper question: was that “rules-based order” ever as universal as we believed? 

During this Lighthouse event we use this question as a starting point for a conversation about power, international law, and the changing global order. 

Together with NRC Foreign Affairs Editor Derk Walters, we explore how journalists, policymakers and countries around the world look at today’s geopolitical reality.  Expect sharp observations, real-world reporting, and an open discussion with students. What it will offer are perspectives that may challenge the way we usually think about international politics. 

During the conversation we will explore questions such as: 

• Does something like an international legal order still exist? 
• Who decides when international law is enforced, and when it is ignored? 
• How do countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America view the West and its idea of a “world order”? 
• What do these global shifts mean for countries like the Netherlands? 

Registration

Admission is free for students and staff, as always. Please register in advance:

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Photo Mark Carney: © Getty Images