Skip to content
Coffee & Cake

The Global South and the End of International Relations Theory

The emerging Global South consciousness calls for critical reflections on current theories of international relations, particularly those rooted in the Westphalian system. Most of these theories emerge from the historical interactions between former European colonial states, which share a common background stemming from the Religious Wars, their resulting claims of sovereignty, as well as from wars of expansion and colonialism.

Since the early 20th century, international theories, which focus on war and peace, have evolved to accept a Hobbesian view of anarchy as the natural state of international relations. However, the claims of the Global South challenge both the concepts of “anarchy” and “the international,” positioning itself as a subject rather than an object of study. On the other hand, it is a collective subject rather than a sovereign one, making its actions and agency unpredictable and unnoticeable. The Global South distinguishes itself as a unique subject by lacking several elements commonly associated with colonial powers: a desire for expansion, a shared ideology to promote, hegemonic leadership, a thirst for revenge, a unified enemy to confront, and a belief in war as a legitimate option, resembling what can be described as a form of negative sovereignty. Additionally, the Global South is characterized by rich diversity in ethnicity, religion, language, development, wealth, geography, and natural resources, including crops and minerals. Despite these differences, the countries of the Global South share one common feature: they have all contributed something valuable to colonizing states, whether it be battlegrounds, labor, goods, intellectual contributions, strategic bases, markets, experimental sites, or the well-being of their populations.

Location: Academy of International Affairs, Rheinallee 24, 53173 Bonn

Participation:

non-public