The notion of great power competition has become a new term of art to describe the fraying relations between the key powers in the international order, not only in terms of the pivotal US-China-Russia triangle, but also more broadly. There is, however, disagreement on what the term actually means and whether it is an apt description of the current era, let alone a useful prescription for navigating the present international predicament.
With the help of two authors of a recent edited volume, The Routledge Handbook of Great Power Competition, this panel takes an analytical look at the concept of great power competition, and also considers its real-world manifestations and relevance for Europe and the Nordic-Baltic region. What are the distinguishing features and definitional boundaries of great power competition, and who are the key actors? Through what mechanisms and with what objectives do great powers engage in such competition? What are the historical precursors of the current era of great power competition and its possible future trajectories?
Programme:
Speakers:
Brian C. H. Fong, Professor and Associate Dean, College of Social Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University (Taiwan)
Thomas F. Lynch III, Distinguished Research Fellow, CSR and Special Projects Manager, Institute of National Strategic Studies (INSS), National Defense University (NDU), Washington, D.C
Comments:
Veera Laine, Senior Researcher, Strategy Unit, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland
Chair:
Ville Sinkkonen, Senior Research Fellow, FIIA