Power, Legitimacy, and World Order

“The current fragility of institutional legitimacy at every level of social organization is no secret. This important volume addresses the growing crisis of legitimacy in international politics and emphasizes the need to focus on (re)building legitimacy if humanity is going to successfully face current threats such as global climate change and rising authoritarianism.”

Jayne Seminare Docherty, Professor Emeritus, Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, Eastern Mennonite University

“A most valuable compilation of thought-provoking and richly resourced essays examining the state of disorder and inequality in the world today. Very often there is a disconnect between power and legitimacy, both domestic and international. The emphasis on the concept of legitimacy brought out in the volume is timely and needs to be recognised by those in power.”

Chinmaya R Gharekhan, former Indian ambassador and United Nations Under-Secretary-General

“Recent developments reinforce the pitfalls of approaching international politics and international economics in silos. The blatant and increasing deployment of crude political power is undermining the legitimacy of many global institutional and trade frameworks. This volume unpacks the challenges of legitimacy that confront global governance frameworks. The excellent essays demonstrate that legitimacy and credibility of global economic architecture can be strengthened by fortifying principles such as transparency, reciprocity, fairness and equity.”

Rajat Kathuria, Dean, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, and Professor of Economics, Shiv Nadar University

“In this timely, valuable collection a formidable team of analysts examine, in all of their complexity, two concepts – power and legitimacy – that are crucial in world affairs. Diverse regions are assessed from a refreshing diversity of perspectives which take the analysis beyond conventional western perceptions.”

James Manor, Emeka Anyaoku Professor, School of Advanced Study, University of London

“This excellent, insightful and occasionally provocative volume on Power, Legitimacy, and the World Order merits careful study among policymakers and within global institutions. Its strength lies in its capacity to capture the contested nature of the concept and application of legitimacy. It should inspire serious debate on the legitimacy of a world order which is undergoing seismic changes.”

Rehman Sobhan, Chairman, Centre for Policy Dialogue, Dhaka

“This volume views today’s world order – or, more accurately, crisis, disorder and fragmentation – through the prism of 'power' and 'legitimacy' and their interaction. The book’s core strength is that it unpacks 'legitimacy' from a diverse range of intellectual and geographical perspectives. The Western vision of world order, based on liberal democracy at home, and US power and Western-shaped multilateral institutions abroad, is contested more than at any time since the end of the Second World War – and not only by China. The COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war have widened this legitimacy divide and further fragmented the world order. This volume helps us to understand these megatrends and navigate our way through an ever more uncertain future.”

Razeen Sally, Former Professor of International Political Economy at the London School of Economics and the National University of Singapore

‘The current fragility of institutional legitimacy at every level of social organization is no secret. This important volume addresses the growing crisis of legitimacy in international politics and emphasizes the need to focus on (re)building legitimacy if humanity is going to successfully face current threats such as global climate change and rising authoritarianism.’

Jayne Seminare Docherty, Professor Emeritus, Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, Eastern Mennonite University

‘A most valuable compilation of thought-provoking and richly resourced essays examining the state of disorder and inequality in the world today. Very often there is a disconnect between power and legitimacy, both domestic and international. The emphasis on the concept of legitimacy brought out in the volume is timely and needs to be recognised by those in power.’

Chinmaya R Gharekhan, former Indian ambassador and United Nations Under-Secretary-General

‘Recent developments reinforce the pitfalls of approaching international politics and international economics in silos. The blatant and increasing deployment of crude political power is undermining the legitimacy of many global institutional and trade frameworks. This volume unpacks the challenges of legitimacy that confront global governance frameworks. The excellent essays demonstrate that legitimacy and credibility of global economic architecture can be strengthened by fortifying principles such as transparency, reciprocity, fairness and equity.’

Rajat Kathuria, Dean, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, and Professor of Economics, Shiv Nadar University

‘In this timely, valuable collection a formidable team of analysts examine, in all of their complexity, two concepts – power and legitimacy – that are crucial in world affairs. Diverse regions are assessed from a refreshing diversity of perspectives which take the analysis beyond conventional western perceptions.’

James Manor, Emeka Anyaoku Professor, School of Advanced Study, University of London

‘This excellent, insightful and occasionally provocative volume on Power, Legitimacy, and the World Order merits careful study among policymakers and within global institutions. Its strength lies in its capacity to capture the contested nature of the concept and application of legitimacy. It should inspire serious debate on the legitimacy of a world order which is undergoing seismic changes.’

Rehman Sobhan, Chairman, Centre for Policy Dialogue, Dhaka

‘This volume views today’s world order – or, more accurately, crisis, disorder and fragmentation – through the prism of ‘power’ and ‘legitimacy’ and their interaction. The book’s core strength is that it unpacks ‘legitimacy’ from a diverse range of intellectual and geographical perspectives. The Western vision of world order, based on liberal democracy at home, and US power and Western-shaped multilateral institutions abroad, is contested more than at any time since the end of the Second World War – and not only by China. The COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war have widened this legitimacy divide and further fragmented the world order. This volume helps us to understand these megatrends and navigate our way through an ever more uncertain future.’

Razeen Sally, Former Professor of International Political Economy at the London School of Economics and the National University of Singapore