World Order 2.0 — Global Civilization Beyond Western Dominance
What if the decline of Western dominance isn’t a catastrophe — but the opening salvo of a new, shared world order? In The Once and Future World Order, acclaimed scholar Amitav Acharya shows that world order didn’t begin with the West, and it won’t end with its retreat. Drawing on 5,000 years of global history, Acharya reveals how civilizations from Sumer to India, China, Persia, and beyond have co-created the principles that keep civilization intact — and why a more inclusive, equitable global order is not just possible, but inevitable. This event unpacks a bold vision of how global civilization will survive — and thrive — beyond the West. Join us for a riveting discussion and book signing that reframes the future of global cooperation.
About the Speaker
Amitav Acharya is a distinguished scholar of international relations and UNESCO Chair in Transnational Challenges and Governance at American University in Washington, DC. He is widely recognized for reshaping how the world understands global order beyond a Western-centric lens and was the first non-Western scholar elected president of the International Studies Association. Acharya is the author of several influential books, including The Once and Future World Order, and his work regularly appears in Foreign Affairs, The New York Times, and on BBC and CNN.
Please note: The World Affairs Council of Kentucky & So. Indiana (WAC) provides a platform for open dialogue and exchange on global issues. Views expressed in WAC programs are those of the speakers and participants and do not represent the official positions of WAC. As a nonpartisan, nonpolitical organization, WAC’s mission is to foster informed discussion and greater understanding of international affairs, without endorsing any particular viewpoint.