Global Presumptions

Abstract

The New School Georg Sørensen examines world-order change by referring to four schools of thought: '(a) the realist concern of politico-military balance of war; (b) the liberal concern of the make-up of international institutions and the emergence of global governance; (c) the constructivist concern of the realm of ideas and ideology … and (d) the IPE [international political economy] … concern of the economic realm of production, finance, and distribution' (p. 344). Sørensen contends that we are in an interregnum where 'a new stable order … has not been established but significant elements of the old order remain in place' (p. 358). Still, Sørensen believes, 'chaos is not upon us' (p. 359). 'For the first time since Westphalia', he notes, 'transition from one order to another is not happening through war between the great powers' (p. 358). All we need to watch out for is whether the interregnum 'has enough to offer the less privileged half of the world's population and what the reactions will be if that turns out not to be the case' (p. 359).I admit I'm confused. Sørensen draws on Robert Cox's observation that 'a stable world order is based on a fit between … material capabilities, ideas, and institutions' (p. 345). Given that Sørensen's four schools of thought all point to the same set of power relations on a global scale, otherwise known as neo-liberal elite rule, albeit from different angles, doesn't this constitute a 'fit'? And, if so, don't we have an ongoing, if not necessarily stable, 'world order'? On what basis, then, does Sørensen claim that there is a transition in world ordering, defined as 'a governing arrangement among states, meeting the current demand for order in major areas of concern' (p. 344)? Even more, why should we believe Sørensen's assurances that nothing drastic is going to happen, that we can muddle along, expecting more of the same?Sørensen presumes his problematique. He does not show us in concrete terms where the world order is changing, nor how, nor in what ways, nor why. He merely tells us that there are these four schools of thought without