In a context of crisis in global order today, this article proposes revisiting the World Order Models Project (WOMP), towards an evaluation of its relevance and potential contributions to contemporary debates and challenges. From this revisiting, this article argues that WOMP suffered from problematic methodological limitations and does not constitute a substitute for conventional contemporary approaches to global order today, but some of its proposals nevertheless retain relevance, and as a mode of global order research it still offers the potential for providing an important supplement to contemporary approaches, if sufficiently modified to address its methodological limitations. The knowledge this kind of project produces is argued to offer integrative alternative non-great power-centric global order policy options that are increasingly in demand, especially from the Global South, as well as from Europe. This article proceeds to revisit WOMP’s research design and outputs, evaluates the arguments of its critics, and outlines the modifying methodological options for a World Order Models Project 2.0.
Policy Implications
- This article has policy implications for global order reform in the medium to long-term, including United Nations reform, by clarifying the research of alternative non-great power-centric global order policy options.
- This research has policy implications for the contemporary crisis of global order and its grand strategic and multilateral responses, by facilitating the clarification of alternative inclusive non-great power-centric global order models and transition strategies.
- This research has broad policy implications for sustainable development and global equality, by facilitating inclusive global order models designed for common global interests, superseding the interests of great power politics.
- This research has policy implications for clarifying the range of legitimate global order models that are possible in a post-Western-centric global order, by facilitating the clarification of culturally inclusive alternative global order models.
Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich