This course examines the shifting distribution of power in world politics and its implications for the current global order that has largely been a product of American hegemony since the end of WWII. We will assess the emergence of non-Western states as major players in world politics. The course discusses which states are rising powers and how we can tell; what power shifts mean for global cooperation and multilateralism; and how hegemonic actors like the US responds to rising powers. The course will consider the foreign policies of rising and established powers as well as how these affect international cooperation within international organisations on issues such as climate change, trade, or security. close