Global Order in Transition: Major International Crises and the Strains of Multipolarity

HIMANSHU PANDEY; Shivendra Pratap Chaudhary

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i01.67735

Global Order in Transition: Major International Crises and the Strains of Multipolarity

Author(s)	Mr. HIMANSHU PANDEY, Mr. Shivendra Pratap Chaudhary
Country	India
Abstract	The contemporary international system is experiencing a period of profound transition marked by the gradual decline of unipolar dominance and the uncertain emergence of a multipolar order. Rather than producing stability, this evolving configuration has unfolded alongside a series of major international crises that have exposed deep structural tensions within global politics. Conflicts such as the Russia–Ukraine war, renewed instability in West Asia, intensifying United States–China rivalry, and the growing political assertiveness of the Global South have collectively challenged existing norms, institutions, and mechanisms of global governance. This paper examines how these interconnected crises have placed significant strain on the functioning of multipolarity and accelerated the transformation of the global order. Drawing primarily on realist and institutionalist perspectives, the study argues that while multipolarity expands strategic space for states and weakens hierarchical dominance, it also heightens geopolitical competition, normative fragmentation, and institutional paralysis. The analysis demonstrates that contemporary crises are not isolated disruptions but systemic stress tests that reveal the limitations of existing multilateral frameworks and the selective application of international norms. By situating major global crises within a broader structural context, the paper contributes to debates on international order by highlighting crisis politics as a central driver of systemic change. It concludes that the present phase represents a transitional and unsettled global order, characterized less by consolidated multipolar stability and more by fluid power alignments, contested legitimacy, and competing visions of global governance.
Keywords	Multipolarity; Global Order; International Crises; Great Power Rivalry; Global Governance
Field	Sociology > Politics
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 1, January-February 2026
Published On	2026-01-31
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i01.67735

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Global Order in Transition: Major International Crises and the Strains of Multipolarity

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