The crisis of multilateralism is not only challenging the effectiveness of international cooperation; it is also raising fundamental questions about representation, participation, legitimacy, and accountability in global governance. The multilateral framework established in the aftermath of the Bretton Woods system faces growing difficulties in addressing contemporary challenges while reflecting the interests and demands of an increasingly diverse and interconnected international community.
This Panel examines how the transformation of traditional multilateralism is contributing to the emergence of new forms, instruments, and actors of global governance, and asks whether these developments can foster more inclusive, representative, and accountable forms of international cooperation. By bringing the crisis of multilateralism into dialogue with debates on democratic renewal, the panel seeks to explore how democratic principles can be adapted to governance beyond the nation-state.
Drawing on International Political Economy and Global International Relations, the panel critically examines the institutional legacies of the postwar multilateral order while investigating innovative mechanisms of international coordination. Particular attention is given to questions of under-representation, decision-making, participation, and the capacity of international institutions to respond to the needs of diverse communities and societies.
Rather than understanding the current transformation simply as the decline of multilateralism, the panel considers whether the emergence of new governance arrangements鈥攊ncluding regional, plurilateral, and transnational initiatives鈥攃an open pathways toward a renewed architecture of global cooperation. It further asks what institutional innovations are necessary to strengthen legitimacy and democratic accountability while addressing contemporary global challenges.
By connecting multidimensional perspectives, the panel aims to contribute to the broader debate on democratic renewal by extending the discussion beyond domestic institutions and examining its implications at the global level. The panel aims to explore possible trajectories for twenty-first-century multilateralism and examine how institutional innovation and policy design can contribute to a more representative, resilient, inclusive, and democratic system of global governance.
