Rise of Global South and changes in contemporary international order

Abstract

The rise of the Global South, already an important factor in contemporary global politics, has initiated and will continue to instigate huge changes in international order. Since World War II, the rise of the Global South has transitioned through three stages: decolonization (1945–1989), globalization (1990–2008), and the rise of emerging economies as a group (since 2009). Countries in the South acted first as “rebels”, then “responsive participants” and now as “active agents” within the system. Through the three stages of development, the rise of the Global South has caused varying changes in international order at different levels and in different regions and fields. These changes, however, all manifest in three aspects: power structure, modes of international interactions, and international rules and systems. Revealing the interactions and mechanisms between the rise of the Global South and the changes in contemporary international order both vertically and horizontally will contribute to further understanding the great changes and general direction of today’s world politics.