Living in Troubled Times

For many observers, today's world seems indecipherable. The Earth is in such jeopardy that some scientists speak of a new accelerated geological era. The resurgence of barbarism and terrorism in the name of religion is seen as a historical regression.

At the same time, waves of technological innovations are constantly surging, particularly in the fields of energy and information — sources of economic, ecological and social transformations. These advances point to an accelerated evolution of the human being.

Never has the present been subjected to such a tectonic shock between its future and its past, the consequences of which seem difficult to foresee and can sometimes be distressing.

Between naïve belief in the unlimited benefits of technology and resignation to the cycle of calamities, there is room to build a global governance aiming at organising a geopolitical order to derive the best of the human experience. This book opens us to a better understanding of our times.

Contents:ForewordThe Presence of the Future:The Anthropocene: Geology on a Human ScaleEnergy: The Natural Agent of ChangeInformation and Artificial IntelligenceBetween Reality and FictionLooking Beyond Science FictionBack to EarthThe Legacy of the Past:The Usefulness of HistoryScientific, Technological and Economic Roots of the Contemporary WorldModernity and ProgressBack to ReligionThe Shock of the Present:Geopolitics and International PoliticsThe Primacy of the United StatesCertainties and Uncertainties Regarding China's RiseThe Difficult Governance of the Global EconomyThe End of the Cold War: A Missed OpportunityThe European Union Between Peril and HopeThe International SystemEpilogue
Readership: Readers interested in learning about geopolitics and the future of humanity, including academics, professionals, policymakers, undergraduate and graduate students, and the general public.
Geopolitics;Global Governance;International Relations;Technology;Future;History;Change;Energy;Information;Humanity;Artifical Intelligence;Economic Development;Globalisation0Key Features:This book takes a comprehensive look at global governance and geopolitics, through examining the past and the present. It discusses building a framework for the present that will safeguard and create better prospects for future generations to comeThe author is the head of the second most recognized think tank in the world, French Institute of International Relations (Ifri)