We are living through an era of profound global challenge, from climate emergency to nuclear tension to strained alliances and democratic backsliding. Russian aggression, China’s military build-up, intractable conflicts in the Middle East, and ‘America First’ strategies give us much to be concerned about. In the midst of instability and conflict, humanity’s persistent capacity to achieve and sustain international cooperation seems to defy the odds. The long peace since the Second World War has seen a reduction in poverty levels and a decline in violence, showing how human motivations tend towards empathy and cooperation. This article, stemming from the author’s 2024 book and her plenary address to the 2025 annual conference of the International Affairs Standing Committee, considers humans as an ‘ultrasocial’ species. It shows why this matters for policy, arguing that if we recognise our nature as a species and the potential we have to work together, we can galvanise people around progressive, inspirational ideas. The author offers recommendations for policy and governance to harness this ultrasociality and create a cooperative breakthrough.
Mai’a Davis Cross (2026) studied this question.