The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan has undoubtedly concluded the international order’s shift away from Western dominance over global affairs. Yet, defining this new international order has proven to be one of the most challenging conundrums of the past decade. Not only because our indicators of power struggle to capture accurate power distributions – and thus hindering our strategic planning capabilities, but also due to the system’s intrinsic tensions: while human rights are compromised by governments from Poland to China, transnational democratic movements sprouting online can trigger major protests across South East Asia; while the technological and economic rifts separating the world’s richest and poorest states grow, military superpowers are forced to pull out of unending conflicts in Mali, Iraq or Afghanistan against groups with a fraction of their budgets.
To better navigate this sea of uncertainties, the Defence & Diplomacy Policy Centre has decided to deconstruct common misconceptions and assumptions regarding this new international order by focusing on the two following themes.
In the first term, the Policy Centre will analyse the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. This theme is meant to outline the key elements of contemporary U.S. grand strategy and assess how withdrawal has impacted the state’s ability to achieve its goals abroad. This will lead to further reflections on the renewed strategic roles of China, Russia, Pakistan and Turkey in Central Asia, the impact of the Taliban’s return on domestic and international terrorism, the logistical lessons to be learned from the withdrawal, and more generally, the failure of counterinsurgency in the past 20 years.
In the second term, the Policy Centre will uncover the intricacies of ‘small state diplomacy’. Amid constant noise of a return to great power politics, it is easy to overlook the role of smaller powers in the realm of diplomacy. In fact, hard power rarely translates directly into negotiating leverage. This theme seeks to shift focus from the study of global powers to an analysis of small states, proto-states and non-state actors in international diplomacy. This will lead to further reflections on the unique leverage of ‘fragile’ states in climate negotiations, the crucial role of intermediary states such as Oman in nuclear negotiations, or the diplomatic leverage of proto-states from Somaliland to Taiwan.
At the Defence and Diplomacy Policy Centre, we encourage and appreciate any contributions revolving around our theme. If you wish to contribute through participation in policy papers, blog posts or events, please do not hesitate to contact us at policycentre@kingsthinktank.org. We look forward to hearing from you!
Noah Trowbridge
Director 2021-22, Defence and Diplomacy Policy Centre
Our Policy Centre:
Joshua Mathew
Director
I’m in my final year of the undergraduate degree in Political Economy, where I take modules in development economics and macroeconomics. As someone who is also interested in East Asian geopolitics and Chinese development in the African region, I find it thoroughly fulfilling to lead research that incorporates economic and strategic analyses. I am also an avid squash player and occasionally go on nature hikes for a mental reset.
Alessia Mazuelos Cáceres
Editor
Alessia Mazuelos is the Editor of the Defense and Diplomacy Centre of King’s Think Tank. She is completing her final year of her BA (Hons) History and International Relations at King’s College London with a semester abroad at University of California, Berkeley. Her research interests are international security, diplomacy, conflict management and defense strategy. Throughout her academic career, Alessia has connected with renowned academics from interviewing prominent linguist Noam Chomsky to International Relations Scholar, John J. Mearsheimer. Professionally, she has worked alongside eminent politicians such as former Greek Minister of Finance Yanis Varoufakis and former Peruvian Vice-President Mercedes Aráoz.
Our Working Group:
Mariola Garcia-Cañada Candela
I am Mariola, a third-year International Relations student. My interests are international security, diplomacy and geopolitics. When I am not in London, you will definitely find me sailing in the Mediterranean, as I am a sea lover.
Sophie Williams-Dunning
I am currently studying for a Masters in Intelligence and International Security in the War Studies Department. I take classes in diplomacy, Russian foreign policy, cyber diplomacy, intelligence and open-source investigation. In my final year of my BA in History and French I specialised in recent African history and security. I hope to unite these interests with research papers on contemporary Russian foreign policy and their impact on the security environment in Africa. In my free time I love travelling – this is me horse-riding in the Caucasus!
Caitlin Hayley Susanto:
I’m Caitlin, a first-year International Relations student. I’m deeply interested in multilateral diplomacy and climate security issues, especially in the Indo-Pacific region. It’s always a joy to engage with others on these matters and learn from the different perspectives shared! When not at school, my ideal day off would be spent watching musicals, exploring bookstores and, oddly enough, designing PowerPoint slides.
Sean Woon
Hi! I am a year 1 undergrad taking Politics, Philosophy, and Law. Frequently bouncing between the otiose and the tangible, I’m interested to bridge the gap between academics and practitioners in the fields of national strategy and international relations. I’ll always be up to chat about the ethical value of international law and the epistemic origins of the national interest. Outside of university, I love delving deep into coffee brewing and escaping the city through cycling.
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