The main drivers of the current global dynamics are the efforts to break the status quo, the seemingly hegemonic role of the United States: the growing economic influence of the emerging powers in the geopolitical space and their increasingly important diplomatic and political role foresee a complex, multi-centred, multipolar order in which regional powers consolidate their room for manoeuvre in their own territorial spheres of interest, while their global perspectives become a reality, partly through joint efforts and cooperation. At the same time, these ideas and trends run counter to the interests of the superpower United States and the tendency towards bloc-formation and polarisation that would avoid multipolar solutions. We should not forget though, that the economic crisis had led to a certain decline in the West, and the United States, which has managed the decline somewhat more successfully, is left with only a weakening Europe, which has been struggling to cope with its internal problems, and a few non-confrontational (e.g. Canada, Australia), independent (e.g. Japan, South Korea) or acutely challenged partner states (e.g. Israel, Mexico) in its alliance force field.
The panel intends to bring in/back geography to international relations and we are looking for papers that deal with either the strategies and interests of these emerging economies, or with the policies of Washington (or any of its allies) trying to maintain their control over global issues.