The global order is shifting in an unprecedented fashion. No major war has intervened to reshape the balance of power; nor has the world seen events as dramatic as the collapse of communism and the end of bipolarity in 1989. Yet it is increasingly clear that change is afoot. While the United States remains the world's leading power—thanks to its combination of military and economic strength, technological prowess, and cultural appeal—Washington cannot simply impose its will on others. The European Union remains an independent force in global politics, and a host of rising states—including China, India, and Brazil—clamor to make their voices heard.
Rising States, Rising Institutions examines the forces reshaping world politics and analyzes the institutions that are rising to meet the demand for new forms of global governance. The distinguished contributors include Anne-Marie Slaughter (director of policy planning at the U.S. State Department), Flynt Leverett (formerly senior director for Middle East affairs at the National Security Council), John Ikenberry (Princeton), Steven Miller (Harvard), Andrew Moravcsik (Princeton), and Andrew Hurrell (Oxford). Together they analyze different models of international cooperation, the states that have most actively challenged the existing order, and leading and emergent international institutions such as the G20, the nascent regime for sovereign wealth funds, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the forums organized to foster cooperation in the war on terror.