Past Global Order Workshops and Colloquia

2022-23

Workshop: The Future of Nuclear Weapons, Statecraft, and Deterrence After Ukraine, April 4, 2023

This workshop discussed how Russia's threat of nuclear weapon use in Ukraine reignited worldwide discussion on nuclear deterrence and statecraft, and how the US and its allies should manage these risks and promote responsible nuclear statecraft. Read the workshop report and thought pieces here.

Workshop: Economic Security and the Future of the Global Order in the Indo-Pacific, February 22, 2023

This workshop explored how the Indo-Pacific region is changing amid rising US-China tensions and economic growth, including the role of new technologies, multilateral economic organizations, and more. Read the workshop report and thought pieces here.

Global Order Colloquium: A Fracturing World: The Future of Globalization, September 13-14, 2022

The 2022 colloquium investigated important policy questions regarding the future of the globalized world with a focus on supply chains, digital currencies, the future of labor, and the role of the internet in connecting the global economy. Across two days in September, academics, policymakers, world leaders, and practitioners convened at Perry World House to address pressing questions related to the future of globalization. Participants explored a variety of issues guided by a singular question: is the world deglobalizing? Read the colloquium report and thought pieces here.

2021-22

Workshop: The Global Order After Russia's Invasion of Ukraine, April 14, 2022

Seven weeks into the Russian Federation’s most recent invasion of Ukraine, Perry World House hosted a workshop with policymakers, academics, and current and former government officials on "The Global Order after Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine." The workshop focused on the invasion's effects in four domains: Ukrainian and Russian politics and economics; global economics; NATO and the EU; and the Indo-Pacific. All of the major issues affecting Ukraine, Russia, and the international community are reflected in the priorities of the Global Order research theme at Perry World House, as Russia’s invasion of its neighbor will have ramifications for the future of international governance structures, changing power dynamics, the deployment of new technologies in conflict, and more. Read the workshop report and thought pieces.

Workshop: Challenges and Opportunities at the Dawn of the New Space Age, March 21, 2022

The space domain is expanding as never before, with rapidly increasing investment from both the public and private sectors and an accelerated pace of technological innovation. Experts term this phenomenon "The New Space Age," and while it affords many opportunities, it also poses distinct challenges To address this, Perry World House convened a workshop in March 2022, titled "Challenges and Opportunities at the Dawn of the New Space Age." It brought together experts from the policy world, academia, and the private sector to explore how both policy and research might address some of these challenges, including the future of the space economy; how to solve the problem of space debris; and managing both cooperation and competition in space.​​​ Read the workshop report and thought pieces.

Global Order Colloquium: How to See the Future: Forecasting and Global Policy, September 27-28, 2021

The 2021 colloquium tackled one big question from a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives: How can we better see the future? More specifically, what forecasting methods are most promising but neglected, how can these methods be implemented, how can forecasts be better communicated, and how can they be made most useful to policymakers? The colloquium built on work Perry World House is undertaking on forecasting and international politics, illustrated in the Keeping Score report that Perry World House released in February 2021. Perry World House also convenes a regular working group focused on topics related to geopolitical forecasting. Read more about the Colloquium here.

2020-21

Workshop: The New Space Age: Beyond Global Order, May 26-27, 2021

On May 26 and 27, 2021, Perry World House held this workshop to explore how the space domain is changing. Panels looked at public-private cooperation on space activities; how space might be used by the military and how it might be affected by growing great power competition; economic opportunities in space; and how international law and global governance can be applied in space. Read the workshop report and thought pieces here.

Workshop: Transatlantic Disruption: Challenges and Opportunities, January 25-26, 2021

Held on January 25 and 26, 2021, the workshop sought to bridge the gap between academia and policy, and focus debates on the state of transatlantic relations on three interrelated issue areas—nuclear deterrence, energy, and investment—to stimulate academic inquiry and exploit an opportunity to shape policies that can help guide transatlantic relations in new and productive ways. Read the workshop report and thought pieces here.

Workshop: A Strategic Roadmap for Reentry 2021 and Beyond: U.S. Institutional Commitments in a New Geo-strategic Environment, October 15-16, 2020

On October 15 and 16, 2020 Perry World House and the Foreign Policy Program of the Brookings Institution jointly convened a virtual, non-partisan workshop to assess the state of U.S. multilateral policy and develop strategic recommendations for U.S. reengagement with the international order under the next administration. Read the workshop report and thought pieces here.

Global Order Colloquium: The UN at 75: Coronavirus and Competition, October 5-7, 2020

Over the course of three days, the colloquium virtually convened leaders from across the world to discuss the UN at 75 and the future of global governance in an age of great power competition and at a moment of worldwide crisis. We explored these issues in-depth through four keynote conversations, featuring Dr. Mark Suzman, CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the largest donors to the World Health Organization, and a key player in the race for a COVID-19 vaccine; Ambassador Samantha Power, the former U.S. Ambassador to the UN; Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, former WHO Director-General and Prime Minister of Norway; and a panel of global leaders comprised of Baroness Catherine Ashton, Ambassador Irina Bokova, and Ambassador Arun Singh. Read more about the Colloquium here.

2019-20

Global Order Workshop: Autocrats' Tech Assault and Democracy's Response, November 21-22, 2019

Convened by Perry World House faculty affiliate Claire Finkelstein, this workshop explored how new technologies are strengthening autocracies around the world, and what democracies can do to limit their effectiveness. Learn more about the workshop here.

Global Order Workshop: Social Impacts of Post-Socialist Transition and Policies for the Future, November 7-8, 2019

Led by Perry World House faculty affiliate Mitchell A. Orenstein from November 7-8, 2019, this workshop brought together scholars to look at the social impacts of transitioning out of socialism, and why these impacts diverge strongly in different states.

Global Order Workshop: Cyberspace and Geopolitics: Assessing Global Cybersecurity Norm Processes at a Crossroads, October 29, 2019

 This workshop examined cyber norms - and the processes that promote them - as a means of addressing cybersecurity at the global level. It was co-sponsored by Perry World House, Microsoft Corporation, and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Read the workshop report, published by Carnegie, here. 

Global Order Colloquium: How Emerging Technologies are Rewiring the Global Order, September 23 and 24, 2019

The colloquium explored how artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum, and other trends in technology are shaping international security, governance, and human rights.The first day of the colloquium brought together academics, current and former government officials, industry representatives, diplomats, and journalists for expert-level interdisciplinary discussions that bridged the gaps between academia and policy. On the second day of the colloquium, students, faculty, staff, and members of the public filled Perry World House for high-level discussions with world leaders in fields from diplomacy and defense to global business and international human rights. Speakers included former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Uber Advanced Technologies Group Chief Scientist Raquel Urtasun, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, Human Rights Watch Executive Director Kenneth Roth, former President of Kyrgyzstan Roza Otunbayeva, and former U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter.

Read more about the Colloquium here.

Read the Colloquium report and thought pieces here. 

2018-19

Global Order Colloquium: Competing Visions of the Global Order, September 24 and 25, 2018

A who’s who of former government officials, diplomats, and journalists joined academic experts at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perry World House for a two-day colloquium focused on “Competing Visions of the Global Order.” The first day of the colloquium featured leading scholars presenting cutting-edge research, with commentary from policymakers with recent government experience. The second day of the colloquium, a public forum, involved four high level discussions about the global order and geopolitics, including the second Penn Biden Leaders Dialogue, featuring Joseph Biden, the 47th Vice President of the United States and Benjamin Franklin Presidential Practice Professor at Penn, in conversation with former U.K. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. Read more about the Colloquium here. 

2017-18

Global Order Workshop: Political Tribes: Group Instinct and the Fate of Nations, April 2018

 In April 2018, Perry World House convened a high-level workshop of senior scholars and policymakers to discuss the root causes of nationalist movements and moments around the world. To determine if the nationalist fever is breaking or still building, workshop participants responded to a novel survey that then served as the foundation for conversations at the session and the post-conference report. The closed-door interdisciplinary discussion was capped with a public conversation between author, lawyer, and scholar Amy Chua and The Atlantic’s Graeme Wood about the former’s new book, Political Tribes.

Global Order Workshop: The Future of The Pandemic Risk: A Threat to Global Health Security, November 2017

In November 2017, Perry World House and Penn Nursing hosted a workshop on the Future of the Pandemic Risk: A Threat to Global Health Security. Policymakers and scholars tried to determine whether the world is better prepared to prevent and respond to an infectious disease pandemic than it was 100 years ago. They also discussed how governments can better coordinate with academia, private industry, and international organizations to mitigate pandemic risk.

Global Order Workshop, October 2017

As tensions heated up over North Korea’s nuclear program, Perry World House brought together senior scholars, policy experts, former diplomats, and security practitioners in October 2017 to examine the potential for, and obstacles to, negotiations between the United States and a resolution to what is arguably the most severe contemporary international crisis.

Global Order Colloquium: Future of the Global Order: Technology, Power & Governance, September 25 & 26, 2017

In celebration of its one-year anniversary, Perry World House hosted the inaugural colloquium for its research theme on the Future of the Global Order: Technology, Power, and Governance. The colloquium explored, from both an academic and policy perspective, how the phenomena of populism, nationalism, and retrenchment are altering the global order. World leaders, diplomats, military officials, journalists, and industry experts engaged with scholars, policy experts, and the University of Pennsylvania community to address key questions such as: Can the global order survive in an era of nationalism? Will international alliances overcome national retrenchment? When is an electoral democracy a pathway to populism? What key forces will shape the world’s economic future? To conclude the colloquium, in partnership with the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement, Perry World House hosted the inaugural Penn Biden Leaders Dialogue, featuring former Vice President Joe Biden and his guest, former President of Mexico Felipe Calderón.

Fall 2017 Global Order Colloquium: Future of the Global Order: Technology, Power & Governance Report

Fall 2017 Global Order Colloquium: Future of the Global Order: Technology, Power & Governance Thought Pieces

2016-17

Global Order Policy Workshop: The U.S., China, and International Law, October 2016 and May 2017

 The U.S.-China relationship is quickly becoming a central driver of the evolution of the global order. The U.S., China, and International Law Project brought together leading scholars of international law from both the United States and China to explore the implications of a rising China for the largely U.S.-created international legal and institutional order.

Global Order Policy Workshop: Emerging Technologies and Global Politics, March 2017

Emerging technologies are reshaping the global order in unprecedented and understudied ways. Understanding the implications of these technological changes is a key aspect of The Future of the Global Order research theme. The policy workshop brought leading scholars of international law and technological developments from across the world to discuss the implications of emerging technologies for the future of the global order.