The Future of the Global Order: Power, Technology, and Governance

From Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea to the global economic and political effects of new technologies, the post-Cold War global order may be at a tipping point.

Broader systemic trends, such as globalization and climate change, mean that the challenges of today and tomorrow will be global - and require global responses.

The role of automated trading algorithms in the 2010 “Flash Crash” in the United States, combined with the specter of drone warfare around the world and the proliferation of military robotics, highlight how the intersection of technologies presents enormous challenges and opportunities for global norms.

Fundamentally, The Future of the Global Order research theme examines implications of changing global power dynamics, impacts of new technologies, and contributions of governance institutions for the future of international cooperation. It seeks to understand the drivers of change and the varied implications of those changes. Additionally, it offers new ideas for the preservation and evolution of the international order.

Standing faculty members from Penn provide guidance and direction for each Global Innovation Program research theme. The Future of the Global Order research theme is led by Michael C. Horowitz, Richard Perry Professor and director of Perry World House (currently on service leave).

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29th Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull at the 2022 Global Order Colloquium | Photo by Eddy Marenco
Rana Foroohar onstage at Perry World House
Financial Times' Rana Foroohar in conversation with Wharton Dean Erika James at the 2022 Global Order Colloquium | Photo by Eddy Marenco