Abhinandan Kumar’s research while affiliated with Jadavpur University and other places

As the world transitions from a US-led unipolar system to a multipolar order, the intersection of political and military balances shapes the landscape of global stability and order. The rise of revisionist powers and the erosion of Western dominance challenge the status quo, while economic crises and the COVID-19 pandemic amplify uncertainties. Geoeconomics gains importance amid the clash between liberal globalisation and protectionist trends, as corporate capital is leveraged for geopolitical aims, weaponising economic power for political ends. This paper investigates the contemporary international order through the prism of intersecting geoeconomic and geopolitical forces, unveiling three core logics that underpin the formation and functionality of this order. First, the logic of order exhibits the intricate interplay between networks and territorial arrangements offering us insights into the meaning, architects, and the ways of making and unmaking of the international order. Second, the logic of control delineates how states recalibrate regulatory mechanisms amid market crises, leading to nationalist and populist inclinations worldwide. Third, through the case study of the COVID-19 pandemic, we show how the logic of exceptionalism capitalises on pandemic-induced uncertainties and empowers states to wield sovereignty in implementing controlling measures. We propose that the logic of order mirrors geopolitical configurations, the logic of control reflects geoeconomic dynamics, and the logic of exceptionalism amplifies state power in times of uncertainty when the logic of order and that of control are disrupted. Drawing on theoretical perspectives from both realism and liberalism, we dissect the complexities inherent in the present order, which remains largely rooted in liberal principles. Despite mounting challenges, the enduring norms of modernity provide a potential bulwark against the erosion of the liberal order. Through the exposition of the three logics of order, control, and exceptionalism, and by integrating geopolitics, geoeconomics, and political theory, this paper offers an alternative to the conventional perspective that views international order as being constituted of the three pillars of power, institutions, and norms.