People, Power, and Politics in the Post-Pandemic World Order

2020 showed the world that the international system is always open to global crises. Throughout history, several breaking points significantly impacted the international system, such as the Peace of Westphalia, the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, the World Wars, the end of the Cold War, and 9/11. In other words, the world has endured many global crises throughout history, such as global-scale wars, biohazards, and, most importantly, pandemics that have affected millions of people. After the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020, the international system entered a transition process that involved many countries in different ways. Some countries imposed mandatory curfews, and some closed their borders to foreigners. Moreover, for many countries, medical supplies turned into goods to be traded on the black market, hard to find and very hard to share. Even though two years have passed since the COVID-19 pandemic became a norm for the international public, its effects, most arguably its aftermath, still carry on. As such, it is essential to understand this transition from different angles. This book explores and evaluates the issues upon which the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant effect, such as migration management, climate change, diplomacy, regional politics, and globalisation.