The New World Disorder:
how the West is destroying itself
Translated by David Shaw
Overview
‘A far-sighted analysis of the world order, and an urgent warning of what the future may hold in store.’ Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads
‘Excellent ... In the face of countries such as China and Russia challenging the US-led international order, Neumann’s book is a plea to Western countries to acknowledge their mistakes ― but not to abandon the very values that have inspired others around the world.’ Emma Sky, author of The Unravelling
The West has fatally overestimated itself. What does this mean for the world?
Over the last thirty years, through a mixture of naivety and arrogance, the West has lost its global advantage. Today’s challenges are profound: climate change, polarisation in society, and tensions with Russia and China. Instead of a liberal world order, a new world disorder has emerged.
Yet the triumph of the West had seemed unstoppable not that long ago. After the end of the Cold War, the democratic market economy took hold in the former Eastern Bloc, Russia went from being an enemy to a partner, and even China turned to capitalism.
Then came the terrorist attacks of 9/11 that shook the world. The War on Terror destabilised an entire region; the Arab Spring only brought forth new autocracies; and, following the annexation of Crimea, the confrontation with Russia intensified. The West is under pressure, and it has only itself to blame. It’s time for a new start: modernity must become sustainable if it is to survive.
Peter R. Neumann, an internationally acclaimed expert on terrorism and geopolitics, uncovers the mistakes that led to our present situation and sets out the dangers the world will face if the West fails to reinvent itself.
Details
- Format
- Size
- Extent
- ISBN
- RRP
- Pub date
- Rights held
- Other rights
- Hardback
- 234mm x 153mm
- 368 pages
- 9781915590145
- GBP£20.00
- 9 November 2023
- World English
- Rowohlt Verlag
Praise
‘This is a lucid and immensely readable analysis of how our current polycrisis emerged, less from malign intent than from a failure to understand humanity as it is, not as we wish it was. Showing how there are fundamental differences of perspective and no global agreement on how societies should be run, it goes beyond despondency to provide an impressive, evidence-based argument for geopolitical pluralism.’
‘The New World Disorder presents a concise and highly readable description of how the West went from post-Cold War triumph to its current despair. In this compelling book, Peter Neumann issues a powerful call for the West not only to recognise its mistakes, but also to renew itself and live up to its ideals.’
About the Author
Peter R. Neumann is Professor of Security Studies at King’s College London, where he directed the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR) for many years. As an internationally sought-after expert, Neumann served as advisor to the USA at the United Nations in 2014. In 2017 he was special representative to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). He also writes for The New York Times and Der Spiegel, among others. His book The New Jihadists was a bestseller. He lives in Oxford.
