Emerging Powers and Emerging Trends in Global Governance

• Published in: Global governance Vol. 23; no. 3; pp. 483 - 502
• Main Author: Stephen, Matthew D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Brill | Nijhoff 01-07-2017; Brill Nijhoff; Lynne Rienner Publishers; Brill; Brill Academic Publishers, Inc
• Subjects: Analysis; BRICS; Emerging markets; emerging powers; Forecasts and trends; fragmentation; global governance; Governance; Institutionalization; International cooperation; international institutions; International organizations; international politics; International relations; NGOs; Nongovernmental organizations; Optimism; Political power; Politics; Power; Trends; World politics; World problems; Brazil; South Africa; China; Russia; India
• ISSN: 1075-2846; 1942-6720; 1942-6720; 1075-2846
• DOI: 10.1163/19426720-02303009

In the 1990s, liberal optimism permeated the study and practice of international politics. International institutions were strengthened and the discourse and practice of global governance consolidated as a new approach to world affairs. Today, new powers are emerging in this institutionalized order. New powers have changed the power relations that underpinned global governance and are also economically, politically, and culturally different from established powers. Against this backdrop, this article investigates the impacts emerging powers are having on global governance. It presents six major trends and outlines their implications for the new global governance currently taking shape. Because new powers are emerging in an already institutionalized order, the emerging global governance order is gradually growing out of the existing one. Emerging powers are rendering parts of global governance dysfunctional, layering onto it, complicating it, but not overthrowing it.