Global Orders and Foreign Policies

Global Orders and Foreign Policies

The Global Orders and Foreign Policies Research Programme deals with the fragmenting global order and its implications for our understanding of multilateralism as well as its problem-solving capacities. The scholars analyse major trends, such as climate change, global health crises, populism, and global power shifts.


  • What kind of regional and global orders develop in contemporary global politics? How do the policies of diverse actors, ranging from powers in the Global South to activists and other non-state actors, affect these regional and global orders and their institutions? Two key processes critically affect global politics today: first, the emergence of new or previously marginalised actors, and second, the development of regionally varying sets of institutions and principles. The Global Orders and Foreign Policies Research Programme studies the new complexity of global politics as a result of these processes, focusing on the future of regional and global institutions and the (foreign) policies of the diverse actors that engage with them.

    We analyse major trends, such as climate change, global health crises, populism, global power shifts, the new importance of South-South relations, and how they transform global order, for instance through the emergence of new steering mechanisms in an increasingly complex global system. This also critically includes research on both traditional foreign policy-making but also the growing importance of transnational linkages between domestic actors, including business, political parties and civil society groups. In doing so, the RP blends International Relations with expertise from comparative politics, economics and other social sciences disciplines represented at the GIGA. Integrating quantitative and qualitative methods, we develop and discuss notions of global order, multilateralism, governance and justice from a diversity of vantage points, with a special focus on those ideas emanating from the regions of the Global South. An important aspect of this work are our manifold partnerships and networks in the GIGA regions. This allows to us contribute to the inclusive theorisation of international affairs and produce policy-relevant empirical expertise.

    We conduct this work in two research teams. The International Institutions and Legitimacy Research Team analyses the interaction of normative changes in the global order with the authority and legitimacy of international institutions, particularly considering global power shifts. The Ideas, Actors and Global Politics Research Team examines how specific actors’ identities, ideas and foreign policy preferences drive transformations of global order. It explores, for instance, the international responsibilities rising powers from the Global South are ready to accept within global multilateralism or the foreign policy preferences of populist governments.

    Internationale Politik | Article | 02/09/2024

    Deutschland auf Partnersuche im Globalen Süden

    Henrik Maihack und GIGA-Wissenschaftler Johannes Plagemann diskutieren, was Deutschland tun muss, um Partnerschaften im Globalen Süden auf- und auszubauen.

    International Relations | 2024

    Infrastructural Power in Foreign Policy: Conceptualising States’ Efforts to Mobilise Non-state Actors

    This article translates Michael Mann’s notion of infrastructural power into the foreign policy realm and develops a conceptual framework that allows for the systematic treatment of states’ strategic efforts at mobilising domestic non-state actors.

    The reality for Gaza is perpetual occupation that is a disastrous recipe for continuous conflict
    The reality for Gaza is perpetual occupation that is a disastrous recipe for continuous conflict

    Australian Journal of International Affairs | 09/2024

    China’s Dual Signalling in Maritime Disputes

    How does China signal foreign policy intentions to domestic and international audiences during territorial conflicts? While China can signal its resolve by provoking nationalism at home, doing so may risk appearing threatening to neighbouring countries in the region. We argue that China resolves the dilemma by sending different types of messages to domestic and international audiences.

    Economia e Sociedade | 08/2024

    A dinâmica do Investimento Externo Direto na China: uma análise do planejamento e desenvolvimento pós-abertura

    In the 21st century, the People’s Republic of China has risen as one of the main centers of the world economy. This result is attributed to the process of opening and modernization, which promoted China’s integration into the world economy. The role of the State in planning and implementing policies that seek to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) is central to this process.

    Research Project | 01/02/2024 - 31/12/2025

    Digital Transformation Lab (DigiTraL), Phase II: Digitalisation as Chance for Cooperation with Global Partners

    GIGA‘s Digital Transformation Lab (DigiTraL), funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, analyses the political drivers and real-world consequences of the digital transformation taking place around the world. The Global South in particular is an important actor in and shaper of this transformation.
    FFO, 2024-2025

    Research Project | 01/01/2024 - 31/12/2025

    Climate Obstruction and Foreign Policy in Comparative Perspective

    The fight against climate change continues to be hindered by campaigns of corporate and other actors who seek to prevent global and/or national action on climate change. This research group is set up to a joint and comparative research agenda on climate obstruction in and across key Global South countries. The lead institutions are the GIGA and the Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ).
    DAAD/CAPES, 2024-2026

    Research Project | 01/06/2023 - 31/05/2026

    HNC³ - Hamburg Network on Compliance in Cooperation with China

    This project bundles the China expertise of universities and non-university research institutes in the Hamburg metropolitan area. Against the background of current opportunities and challenges in cooperating with China, primary goals of the project include the development of instruments for such cooperation in accordance with legal parameters, the establishment of appropriate exchange formats among the consortium members, and the implementation of relevant training programmes.
    BMBF, 2023-2026

    Research Project | 01/03/2022 - 28/02/2025

    Explaining Middle-Power Engagement in External Regions: A Comparison of Iranian, Saudi, and Turkish Sub-Saharan Africa Policies

    By means of a comparative historical analysis of Iranian, Saudi-Arabian, and Turkish engagement in Africa following the continent’s decolonization processes and running up until 2020, this project seeks to make sense of middle-power engagement in external regions. First, the project will identify the periods of shifting IST engagement in Africa. Second, it will analyze the reasons why, and the conditions under which, IST have stepped up—or reduced—their foreign policy efforts in Africa. Third, it will develop mid-range generalizations on middle-power engagement in external regions.
    DFG, 2022-2025

    Research Project | 01/01/2022 - 31/12/2022

    Engaging the Indo-Pacific: German and Korean Perspectives on Regional Cooperation

    A policy-oriented research project bringing together the GIGA and the East Asia Institute in Seoul. The project aims at analysing German/EU and Korean strategies for Indo-Pacific engagement and identifying areas for in-depth consultation, coordination and cooperation.
    Korea Foundation, 2022

    Prof. Dr. Sook-Jong Lee

    Prof. Dr. Yul Sohn

    Prof. Dr. Chaesung Chun

    Research Project | 01/01/2022 - 31/12/2026

    Leibniz Research Network “Integrated Earth System Research” (iESF)

    Humanity is increasingly influencing the Earth system that has evolved over millions of years. Visible signs of this 'Anthropocene' are global warming, pollution of the oceans and the decline in biodiversity. In the coming years, therefore, societal decisions of civilization-historical significance will have to be made. A fundamental question is: How can the Earth system be ecologically stabilized in such a way that well-being, prosperity, justice, peace and security for all people are secured or even achieved?
    Leibniz Association, 2022 - 2026

    Research Project | 01/09/2021 - 29/02/2024

    Ensuring Safe, Transparent and Mutually Beneficial Collaboration with China at Analytical Research Infrastructures (WIKOOP-INFRA)

    The joint project WIKOOP-INFRA will draw up empirically grounded guidelines that offer researchers from Germany and the EU support and guidance for scientific cooperation with their Chinese colleagues at large research infrastructures under existing framework conditions.
    BMBF, 2021-2024

    Team


    Research Teams

    The researchers in the Global Orders and Foreign Policies Programme are organised in two teams that deal with the new complexity of global politics:

    • The International Institutions and Legitimacy Research Team examines the interaction of normative changes in the global order with the authority and legitimacy of international institutions, particularly considering global power shifts .

    • The Ideas, Actors and Global Politics Research Team analyses the specific processes involved in the crafting of individual foreign policies as well as, more general, visions of international order across the Global South.


    Research Team 1: International Institutions and Legitimacy

    The International Institutions and Legitimacy Research Team examines the politics of international institutional development. We analyse how the rise of powers from the Global South, transnational activist groups, and other influential non-state actors shapes the formation of regionally varying sets of institutions and principles and how these regional transformations contribute to the growing complexity of the global multilateral order. This increasingly polycentric order provides, on the one hand, increased opportunities for interaction and more flexibility in terms of partner choice at the regional and international levels. On the other hand, the multiplication and overlapping of institutions engendered by the new order have caused fragmentation and disorder that call into question the normative foundations and empirical legitimacy of the multilateral order and its elemental institutions. Against this backdrop, we address the following questions:

    • Do global power shift and rising multipolarity trigger the spread of equity norms? How does the rise of equity norms shape the legitimacy of international institutions?

    • What are the effects of the widespread democratic backsliding and the emergence of China as a global power on democracy and human rights promotion through international organisations?

    • How do regional organisations legitimise themselves in this transforming environment, what communicative and institutional legitimation strategies do regional organisations use, and what factors explain differences and similarities across world regions?

    • How does the growing complexity of the international order shape the legitimacy of political institutions across levels of governance ?


    Research Team 2: Ideas, Actors and Global Politics

    Globalisation processes of the past decades have contributed to the internationalisation of domestic actors – from businesses to political parties or civil society groups. Meanwhile, a number of states in the Global South, from rising powers such as China and India to regional or middle powers such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia, have gained diplomatic visibility, economic influence, and political importance in an increasingly multipolar world. Thus, the specific political ideas, narratives, and ideologies endorsed by domestic actors involved in foreign policy-making in the Global South have become more important for understanding today’s international affairs. RT2 explores the variety of domestic and transnational actors involved in global and regional politics, their respective foreign policy interests, negotiation strategies, and worldviews. Taking into account domestic institutions and politics, team members also analyse the specific processes involved in the crafting of individual foreign policies as well as, more general, visions of international order across the Global South. Against this backdrop, we address the following questions:

    • How do global power shifts affect foreign policy roles across the Global South – and what are the consequences thereof for international “order”?

    • What are the origins and the specific content of normative ideas and political ideologies that affect the foreign policies of rising powers?

    • How do smaller (“secondary”) states react to the new competition amongst and between rising and established powers?

    • How do Diasporas and their politicisation affect international politics?

    • What impact does the formation of populist governments have on foreign policy?

    President (ad interim)

    Prof. Dr. Sabine Kurtenbach is President (ad interim) of the GIGA.

    Prof. Dr. Sabine Kurtenbach

    Regional Institutes

    Africa|Asia|Latin America|Middle East

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