Managing Global Disorder Discussion Paper Series

There is now broad acceptance that geopolitical rivalry among the major powers is intensifying as the world tilts from a U.S.-dominated, rules-based international order to a more contentious and multipolar system. Renewed strategic competition has the potential to drive heightened levels of insecurity, which in turn increases the risk of military confrontation and conflict between the major powers.

Even if the major powers manage to avoid a catastrophic war, however, increasingly adversarial relationships among them will have other detrimental consequences. It will likely increase the difficulty of managing regional threats to international peace, and compromise collective management of a host of common security concerns, including climate change, the proliferation of dangerous technologies, and the threat posed by armed nonstate actors. The COVID-19 pandemic has already laid bare the reality that materializes when major powers fail to collectively manage crises.

Recognizing these challenges, the Center for Preventive Action's (CPA) discussion paper series on managing global disorder explores in greater depth how to promote a stable and mutually beneficial relationship among the major powers that can in turn provide the essential foundation for greater cooperation on pressing global and regional challenges. These papers aim to chart a different trajectory for major power relations: one that accepts a more competitive world, but at the same time, recognizes and acts upon the growing imperatives for international cooperation. 

CPA also publishes an annual survey to identify conflict prevention priorities, the Preventive Priorities Survey, and provides background information and resources on twenty-six ongoing conflicts through its online interactive, the Global Conflict Tracker.

These Discussion Papers were made possible by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.