Current geopolitical challenges and threats: international order in the 21st century
The contemporary world is facing complex and rapidly evolving challenges that affect people’s lives across regions and countries to varying degrees. Migration crises, asymmetric threats, energy and environmental tensions, terrorism and a new space race, marked by intensifying competition between states and private actors, have become central themes in global security discourse and are reshaping the international landscape. Meanwhile, significant transformations are taking place in the domestic and foreign policies of key global players, continuing to influence the balance of power and international relations.
States are increasingly engaging in political and military actions in distant parts of the world, thereby shaping the future of the geopolitical order. These developments raise fundamental questions about security, the effectiveness of international organisations, national identity in a globalised world and the role of values such as sustainable development and social responsibility in foreign policy.
Organised by the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Polish Academy of Sciences Scientific Centre in Paris, in cooperation with the Institut d’Etudes de Géopolitique Appliqué, the Institute of Political Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and the Association des Étudiants Polonais en France, the conference will serve as a platform for exchanging ideas and analysing key aspects of contemporary international relations.
The event will open with a keynote lecture by Professor Mathias Delori (Sciences Po CERI, CNRS), Breaking Cycles of Vengeance. As pointed by Martin Luther King Jr., “the ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy”. However, we live in a world where a growing number of people seem to think that violence is the best way to stop violence.
In his lecture, Professor Delori will review a series of historical cases – Franco-German relations, the Cold War, and the war on terror – to provide original answers to the following questions: Can violence sometimes stop violence? What is the power of nonviolence? How can we break out of the vicious cycle of revenge?
This keynote lecture invites reflection on how historical experience can help us to overcome entrenched mechanisms of violence and seek alternative paths towards peacebuilding.
The conference programme will feature a series of panel discussions examining shifting power dynamics and pressure points in the emerging global order; the role of private actors in the new space race; the strategic relevance of ESG in foreign policy; resilience-building strategies in the Baltic Sea region; and cyber warfare as a new frontline in global conflict.
Due to the limited number of places, those interested in attending the lecture are invited to register by sending an email to secretariat@paris.pan.pl or by filling out the form:
Onsite participation form: https://forms.office.com/e/tyaN8pCWd1
Remote participation form: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/75cbaabc-f7fc-4883-b3b0-58a179d5a5fb@c09e1b13-b101-4ccc-9d9b-05118a718591
The event will be held in English.
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