Where is the conference being held?

The conference is being held in Paris, FRA, with additional sessions in Le Havre, FRA.

What is the duration of the event?

The event spans several days, from the start date to the end date.

What is the primary focus of the conference?

The primary focus is on the rise of Asia, the potential decline of imperialism, and the emergence of a new world order.

THE RISE OF ASIA 100 YEARS AFTER LAI: Is the Imperialism Dying and a New World Order Emerging?

Name: THE RISE OF ASIA 100 YEARS AFTER LAI: Is the Imperialism Dying and a New World Order Emerging?
Start: 2027-02-17T00:00:00Z
End: 2027-02-19T00:00:00Z
Location: Paris

Feb 17–19, 2027Paris, FranceIn-person

Registration open

This international conference, held in Paris, FRA, convenes to examine the profound shifts in global power dynamics and the potential emergence of a new world order. The event, spanning several days, delves into the historical context of imperialism and its contemporary manifestations, particularly in relation to the rise of Asian powers. Participants will engage in discussions about the evolving international landscape, questioning whether traditional forms of dominance are receding and what new structures might take their place.

Committees & topics

Topics
World History: A Century After Lai and the Long Arc of Power · Post-Colonial History and the Unfinished Business of Independence · International Relations in an Era of Contested Multipolarity · The Global South: From Bandung to BRICS+ · Imperialism: Theory, History, and Contemporary Relevance · The New World Order: Multipolarity, Multilateralism, or Fragmentation? · Colonialism: Legacies, Reckonings, and Restitution · Neo-Colonialism: Structural Power After Formal Independence

Why it matters

The conference addresses a pivotal moment in international relations, where the established global order is undergoing significant transformation. The rise of Asian economies and political influence challenges long-held assumptions about power distribution and governance. Understanding these shifts is crucial for policymakers, academics, and global citizens alike, as they directly impact international cooperation, economic development, and geopolitical stability. The discussions will explore the implications of a multipolar world, the redefinition of sovereignty, and the potential for new forms of international collaboration or competition.

By examining the legacy of imperialism and its modern iterations, the conference provides a critical lens through which to analyze current events. It encourages a re-evaluation of historical narratives and their influence on contemporary power dynamics. This historical perspective is essential for comprehending the motivations and strategies of various state and non-state actors in the international arena. The insights gained from such an examination can inform more effective diplomatic approaches and foster a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between past and present global forces.

How to prepare

To effectively contribute to this conference, delegates should prepare by thoroughly researching the historical context of imperialism and its impact on various regions, particularly in Asia. A strong understanding of the economic and political trajectories of key Asian nations, such as CHN, IND, and JPN, will be beneficial. Familiarity with theories of international relations, including those pertaining to power transitions and the formation of world orders, will also be advantageous.

Consider how the concept of 'imperialism' has evolved and how it might be interpreted in a contemporary context, beyond traditional colonial definitions. Delegates should be ready to discuss the roles of various international actors, including established powers like USA, GBR, and RUS, as well as emerging powers and regional blocs. Reviewing lessons such as "Dynamic Analysis" and "Engagement Strategies" can help frame your contributions to discussions on how countries navigate these complex shifts. Additionally, preparing case studies or specific examples of how the rise of Asia is influencing global governance, trade, and security will enrich the dialogue.

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 5 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

China

A primary driver of the 'rise of Asia,' challenging existing global power structures.

Role in topic

As a rapidly expanding economic and military power, CHN is central to discussions about a new world order. Its Belt and Road Initiative, increasing influence in international organizations, and growing technological prowess are often cited as evidence of a shifting global balance. Perspectives from CHN will likely emphasize a move towards a multipolar world and a rejection of Western-centric global governance.

India

An emerging power navigating its strategic autonomy while engaging with multiple global partners.

Role in topic

IND's significant economic growth and demographic size position it as a crucial player in the evolving global landscape. Its foreign policy often balances engagement with both Western and Eastern powers, reflecting a desire for strategic autonomy. Discussions involving IND will likely focus on its role in regional security, economic partnerships, and its contributions to multilateral institutions, often advocating for reforms that reflect the rise of the Global South.

United States

A traditional hegemon whose influence is being re-evaluated in the context of Asian ascent.

Role in topic

The USA's long-standing role as a global superpower is a key reference point for discussions on the decline of imperialism and the emergence of a new world order. Perspectives from the USA might focus on maintaining existing alliances, promoting democratic values, and addressing challenges posed by rising powers. The conference will likely explore how the USA adapts its foreign policy to a more multipolar international system.

France

A former colonial power and current European Union leader, grappling with its historical legacy and future global role.

Role in topic

As the host nation and a former colonial power, FRA offers a unique perspective on the historical and contemporary aspects of imperialism. Its role in the European Union and its diplomatic engagements across various regions mean it is actively involved in shaping international norms and addressing global challenges. Discussions from FRA will likely touch upon multilateralism, post-colonial relations, and the European response to the rise of Asia.

South Africa

A prominent voice from the Global South, advocating for a more equitable and inclusive international system.

Role in topic

ZAF, as a leading nation in Africa and a member of BRICS, provides a critical perspective on the legacy of imperialism and the aspirations of the Global South. Its contributions will likely highlight the need for decolonization of international institutions, economic justice, and greater representation for developing nations in global governance. ZAF's experience can offer insights into the challenges and opportunities presented by a shifting world order for African nations.

Topics & background

The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it.

World History: A Century After Lai and the Long Arc of Power

The conference frame invokes 1925 — a year often associated with the Lai (賴) moment in East Asian intellectual history, when anti-colonial nationalism, Pan-Asianism, and early Communist organizing converged across China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. The century since has seen the collapse of the European maritime empires, two world wars, the bipolar Cold War order, and the post-1991 unipolar moment dominated by the United States. Each phase reshaped sovereignty, borders, and the global division of labor. The present century has been defined by the relative decline of the transatlantic core and the demographic, economic, and technological resurgence of Asia. China's industrial rise, India's demographic weight, and ASEAN's integration have shifted the world's economic center of gravity eastward for the first time since the early industrial revolution. Historians now debate whether this constitutes a genuine systemic transition or merely a rebalancing within a still-Western-led order. For delegates, the world-history lens means situating today's flashpoints — Taiwan, Ukraine, Gaza, the Sahel — within longer cycles of imperial expansion and contraction, and asking whether the institutions built in 1945 can survive the multipolarity of 2025.

Key players

Post-Colonial History and the Unfinished Business of Independence

Between 1945 and 1975, more than a hundred new states emerged from European empires, beginning with India and Pakistan in 1947 and accelerating after the 1955 Bandung Conference, which gave the post-colonial world its first collective political voice. The Non-Aligned Movement, the Group of 77, and UNCTAD became vehicles for demanding a New International Economic Order in the 1970s — a demand that was largely defeated by the debt crises and structural adjustment of the 1980s. Post-colonial states inherited borders drawn by imperial cartographers, economies geared to commodity export, and constitutions modeled on metropolitan templates. The resulting tensions — secessionist conflicts, resource curses, fragile institutions — have shaped sixty years of civil wars from Biafra to South Sudan, and from East Timor to Western Sahara. Cold War superpower interventions repeatedly overrode formal sovereignty. Today the post-colonial agenda has resurfaced through reparations debates, museum restitution, calls to reform the UN Security Council, and African and Caribbean demands for climate justice. The question for delegates is whether decolonization is a completed historical event or an ongoing political project.

Key players

International Relations in an Era of Contested Multipolarity

The discipline and practice of international relations has cycled through realist, liberal, and constructivist paradigms, each reflecting the structure of its era. The post-1991 'unipolar moment' produced confident liberal-institutionalist assumptions about democratic peace, economic interdependence, and the universality of human rights norms. Those assumptions have eroded under the weight of the 2008 financial crisis, the failures of Iraq and Afghanistan, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the U.S.–China strategic rivalry. What is replacing the unipolar order is contested. Some analysts describe an emerging multipolarity organized around the United States, China, and a constellation of regional powers; others see a bifurcation into democratic and authoritarian blocs; still others point to 'multi-alignment,' in which middle powers like India, Brazil, Turkey, and Indonesia refuse binary choices. Institutions such as BRICS+, the SCO, and the African Union have gained salience alongside — and sometimes against — the G7 and NATO. Delegates must grapple with whether the rules-based order can be reformed, replaced, or merely fragmented into competing regional orders.

Key players

The Global South: From Bandung to BRICS+

The term 'Global South' emerged in the late 20th century as a successor to 'Third World,' denoting states historically subordinated within the world economy regardless of their geographic latitude. Its institutional ancestry runs from Bandung (1955) through the Non-Aligned Movement, the G77 (1964), and the 1974 NIEO declaration. After a period of relative quiescence during the neoliberal 1990s, the Global South label has been re-energized by the 2008 crisis, COVID-19 vaccine inequity, and Western sanctions policy. Contemporary Global South politics is heterogeneous. BRICS expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE, and has launched dialogues on de-dollarization, alternative payment systems, and development finance through the New Development Bank. Simultaneously, African and Latin American states press for sovereign debt restructuring, climate finance, and equitable access to digital public infrastructure under UN auspices. The central tension is whether the Global South is a coherent political bloc or a discursive coalition of convenience whose members — India and China most prominently — have sharply divergent interests.

Key players

Imperialism: Theory, History, and Contemporary Relevance

Classical theories of imperialism — Hobson (1902), Lenin (1916), Luxemburg (1913) — emerged to explain the late-19th-century scramble for Africa, the partition of China into spheres of influence, and the export of finance capital from industrial cores to colonial peripheries. These analyses tied imperialism to structural features of capitalism: surplus capital, monopoly formation, and inter-imperial rivalry that ultimately produced the First World War. Formal empire collapsed between 1945 and 1975, but debates about imperialism persisted. Dependency theorists in Latin America and world-systems theorists argued that the unequal terms of trade, technology gaps, and conditionality of IMF lending reproduced imperial relations without flags. After the Cold War, the U.S.-led 'global war on terror,' NATO interventions in Yugoslavia and Libya, and the proliferation of overseas military bases revived the term in critical scholarship. Today the imperialism debate has new participants: Russia is accused of classical territorial imperialism in Ukraine, China is charged with 'debt-trap' practices it denies, and Western states face their own legacy claims. The conference question — whether imperialism is dying — invites delegates to define the term before judging its vitality.

Key players

The New World Order: Multipolarity, Multilateralism, or Fragmentation?

The phrase 'New World Order' has been used repeatedly across the past century — by Woodrow Wilson at Versailles, by FDR and Churchill in the Atlantic Charter, and by George H.W. Bush in 1990 to describe the post-Cold War moment. Each iteration promised that great-power rivalry would be tamed through liberal institutions: the League of Nations, the United Nations, the Bretton Woods system, the WTO. The current invocation reflects a different mood. Russia, China, Iran, and several Global South governments openly call for a 'multipolar world order' that constrains Western primacy. Western leaders increasingly speak of a contest between democracies and autocracies, or of 'de-risking' supply chains. Meanwhile, transnational challenges — climate change, pandemics, AI governance — demand precisely the kind of cooperative multilateralism that geopolitical rivalry is eroding. Delegates should consider whether a stable new order is being constructed, whether the world is sliding into managed fragmentation, and what role middle powers and regional organizations can play in mediating the transition.

Key players

Colonialism: Legacies, Reckonings, and Restitution

Modern colonialism began with Iberian expansion into the Americas in 1492 and culminated in the late-19th-century Berlin Conference (1884–85), which partitioned Africa among European powers without African consent. Settler colonialism in the Americas, Australia, and southern Africa displaced indigenous populations; extractive colonialism in Asia and Africa restructured economies around the needs of metropolitan industry; and the transatlantic slave trade forcibly displaced an estimated 12.5 million Africans. Formal decolonization between 1945 and 1980 dismantled most colonial states but left contested borders, lingering military bases, monetary arrangements such as the CFA franc, and disputed territories from the Chagos Archipelago to Western Sahara to Palestine. In 2024 the ICJ ruled the UK's continued administration of the Chagos Islands unlawful, and restitution of looted cultural property — Benin Bronzes, the Parthenon Marbles, human remains — has accelerated. The contemporary colonial reckoning combines legal claims, museum politics, reparations demands (notably from CARICOM), and indigenous rights movements within settler states. Delegates must weigh competing principles: sovereignty, self-determination, historical justice, and the practical politics of redress.

Key players

Neo-Colonialism: Structural Power After Formal Independence

Kwame Nkrumah's 1965 book Neo-Colonialism: The Last Stage of Imperialism gave the concept its enduring political form: states that are formally sovereign but whose economic systems and political decisions are directed from outside. The mechanisms identified included foreign ownership of extractive industries, conditional aid, military basing agreements, and monetary arrangements such as the CFA franc zone tying African currencies to the French treasury. In subsequent decades, IMF structural adjustment programs, WTO intellectual property rules, and bilateral investment treaties became focal points for neo-colonial critique. More recently, attention has turned to Chinese infrastructure lending under the Belt and Road Initiative, Gulf state agricultural land acquisitions, and the extraction of critical minerals — cobalt, lithium, rare earths — for the global energy transition, raising questions about whether the green transition will reproduce older patterns of unequal exchange. The Sahel coups of 2020–2023, the expulsion of French forces from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, and the parallel rise of Russian and Chinese security partnerships illustrate how neo-colonial critiques now shape concrete state behavior. Delegates must assess whether contemporary partnerships represent genuine sovereignty or merely a change of patron.

Key players