The New Normal: Multifaceted and Multidimensional Crises and the Interplay of Geoeconomics and Geopolitics

Abstract

The world’s economic and social systems are subject to a significant state of influx, with the G20 leaders pointing out cascading crises captured by discussions about polycrisis or permacrisis. Global governance, economic growth, and political agendas are intertwined in converging multidimensional and multifaceted crises that need to be considered from the geoeconomic and geopolitical frameworks. The War in Ukraine and the Middle East’s rising levels of violence with the outburst of the Israel and Hamas war, compounded by ongoing armed conflicts in different regions, are shaking up the global economic and political systems. The international community’s diplomacy seems unable to bring a conclusive end to the ongoing conflicts, failing to commonly identify adequate ground for dialogue and mediation. The world is immersed in violent episodes flagging the significance and importance of solid institutions, their link to peaceful and stable societies, and their role in preserving countries’ sovereignty. Tensions arising from the consequences of climate change overlap existing cleavages, bringing new dimensionalities to existing conflicts. The new geoeconomic and geopolitical dynamics resulting from the polarization of wealth have intensified. Within the outlined context, this special issue explores the relationship between conflict and its geoeconomic and geopolitical implications as we consider growing inequalities, the critical role of natural resources, and education to navigate growing levels of uncertainty and instability.