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Are we in an age of 鈥減olycrisis鈥�? If so, what is the role of academia in global governance and policy? Key discussions from the GGI symposium 2023.

Written by Molly Turner (UCL, MA Human Rights)

This year, UCL celebrates the ten-year milestone of its Global Governance Institute (GGI). To mark the occasion Deputy Director of the GGI, Dr Tom Pegram, organised a symposium. The event, attended by UCL faculty, alumni, and associates, focused on two pressing questions of our time: Are we in an age of 鈥減olycrisis鈥�? If so, what is the role of academia in global governance and policy? In this reflection, I draw upon key discussions from the symposium to share my conclusions on the state of global governance and the so-called 鈥減olycrisis.鈥澨�
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The State of Global Governance in 2023

The day began with a presentation by Professor Sir Michael Marmot, (UCL Institute of Health Equity), who delivered stark statistics on international life expectancy. He noted that the average life expectancy of the bottom 40% of the UK population decreased between 2018 and 2020. The distressing conclusion, however, was that such evidence is no longer enough to motivate and drive change in policy and governance. Professor Anthony Costello (UCL Global Health) reinforced this point, noting that despite the severity of the climate crisis in terms of global energy usage 鈥� the equivalent to two Hiroshima bombs is being put into our oceans every second 鈥� no significant action has been taken to alleviate climate change.听

The consensus in the room was that this absence of drive for real change is a byproduct of neo-liberal globalisation鈥檚 failings. In contrast to the optimistic assumption of the 1990s, that neo-liberalism would supposedly level the global economy and reduce inequalities; today, globalisation appears to be intensifying such disparities. 听Put best perhaps by Professor Marmot, the poorest countries are suffering the most while contributing the least, illustrating a disturbing trend in global governance. Systemic inequalities continue to rise alongside the acceleration of global industry and the dominance of the West. This trend is most blatantly illustrated by the communities bearing the brunt of the climate crisis and experiencing increasing mortality rates due to escalating temperatures and the ongoing impacts of Covid-19.听

An Age of 鈥淧olycrisis鈥�?听

If one was to look to such empirical evidence for proof of a 鈥減olycrisis鈥� then it may be argued that we are indeed in a 鈥榩olycritical鈥� age. However, Vinay Gupta, CEO of the blockchain company Mattereum, with reference to his interventions on the day, contends that this term merely serves as an academic distraction from actual global systemic failures. His argument suggests that labelling the situation with theoretical jargon risks reducing past decades of international suffering to a historical epoch rather than an ongoing crisis that began in the twentieth century. Accordingly, while I agree that we may be living in an era of 鈥減olycrisis,鈥� I do not find it useful to fixate on understanding what, exactly, the parameters of a 鈥減olycrisis鈥� are or when it began.

The task of historical exploration and its implications falls on the academy, rather than on policy bodies, think tanks, international organisations, or governments. Regardless of how we define this era, the failure of global governance is evident. As Professor Elaine Unterhalter (UCL IOE) asserted, global governance has been deceitful in promoting equality, opportunity, and participatory fluidity. Unterhalter argued that global approaches to enhancing the education of women and girls in developing nations fell far short of what was required to realise the UN鈥檚 sustainable development goals (SDGs). She advocated instead for a more localised development approach. The rhetoric of 鈥榞lobal鈥� SDGs often fails to represent the diverse realities experienced by women and girls across different cultures and regions worldwide.听

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So, What is the Role of the Academy?

There will always be a role for academia in overcoming international crises. Knowledge specialisation and research are imperative to developing policies and strategies to combat global issues. However, there remains a risk of losing sight of the individual within the realm of academia, often buried beneath theoretical material. After all, as UCL PhD candidate Rosie Collington asked, who is the research for? To elicit meaningful change, the walls of traditional academia must come down to better serve and include the individuals who are both the victims of global crises and the subjects of academic investigation. A more person-centred approach can ensure a productive relationship between governance and the academy, effectively addressing the 鈥減olycrisis.鈥� As Adrienne Buller, Director of Research at the think tank Common Wealth, poignantly put it, we should not allow the demand for pragmatism to constrain academia, as this risks limiting policy innovation derived from new knowledge. Thus, it is vital that the academy continues to drive change through its role as an intellectual institution.听

The day began and ended with the recognition of global governance鈥檚 failure and the urgency for critical self-reflection if we are to make progress in combatting the 鈥減olycrisis.鈥� In conclusion, it seems that both academic and policy spheres need to undergo a transformative reformation to effectively address the inadequacies of global governance.听

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