Rejecting the Post-Westphalian Order: Rapprochement with the Anarchistic Norm

Contextualized in human history, the modern nation-state is a new phenomenon that is constantly evolving. International relations have been organized based on the concepts of international treaties that are over three centuries old that assured autonomy. After the end of the cold war, a move towards international cooperation with new terminology emerged to articulate some of the trends. However, the early 21st century has seen a rejection of the “New World Order”, with movements towards a return to an anarchistic, more traditional order. While the expectations of the liberal order were at its peak just after the collapse of the USSR and Francis Fukuyama declared “The End of History,” the events of September 11, 2001 marked a sharp turn in the world’s hegemonic power away from institutions and systems that provided transnational governance. This has meant a return to the original international order seen in the 19th and 20th century characterized by the repositioning of world powers. This paper will examine recent trends through the framework of several evolving international relations theories.