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From liberal peace to new Cold War? Turbulence and conflict in the 21st century

Hosted by the Ralph Miliband Programme

In-person and online public event (Sheikh Zayed Theatre, Cheng Kin Ku Building)

Speakers

Professor Barry Buzan

Professor Barry Buzan

Dr Elizabeth Ingleson

Dr Elizabeth Ingleson

Professor Vladislav Zubok

Professor Vladislav Zubok

Chair

Professor Michael Cox

Professor Michael Cox

When Soviet power collapsed between 1989 and 1991, the overwhelming view in the West was that liberalism had triumphed.

The world could look forward to a period of peace and prosperity, underpinned by globalisation backed by American power. Today all of that early optimism has faded, to be replaced by a deep fear that the world is once again dividing into two camps very much like the Cold War of old. 

How have we arrived at this crossroads? What has caused it? Could it have been avoided? And will, what many are now calling a "new" Cold War, be as dangerous and as prolonged as the "first"?

Meet our speakers and chair

Barry Buzan is Emeritus Professor of International Relations at LSE (formerly Montague Burton Professor); honorary professor at Copenhagen, Jilin, and China Foreign Affairs Universities; Senior Fellow at LSE IDEAS; and a fellow of the British Academy.

Elizabeth Ingleson (@lizingleson) is Assistant Professor in the Department of International History at LSE, and specialises in the histories of US foreign relations, US-China relations, capitalism, and labour. She is the author of Made in China: When US-China Interests Converged to Transform Global Trade (2024).

Vladislav Zubok is Professor of International History at LSE and Head of the Russia International Affairs Programme at LSE IDEAS. His expertise is on the Cold War, the Soviet Union, Stalinism, and Russia's intellectual history in the 20th century.

Michael Cox is Emeritus Professor of International Relations at LSE. He helped establish the Cold War Studies Centre at LSE in 2004 and later co-founded LSE IDEAS in 2008 with Arne Westad.

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The Ralph Miliband Programme (@RMilibandLSE) was set up in 1996 thanks to a generous anonymous benefaction from a former PhD student inspired by 'Ralph Miliband's contribution to social thought'. He specified that the funds be used in memory of his friend and mentor 'to advance his spirit of free social inquiry' and the diversity of thought that has always been the hallmark of LSE.

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Featured image (used in source code with watermark added): Photo by Konrad Ciężki via Pexels.

How can I attend? Add to calendar

This public event is free and open to all. This event will be a hybrid event, with an in-person audience and an online audience. 

For the in-person event: No ticket or pre-registration is required. Entry is on a first come, first served basis. For any queries see LSE Events FAQ.

For the online event: Register for this event via LSE Live at From liberal peace to new Cold War? Turbulence and conflict in the 21st century.

For any queries email events@lse.ac.uk.

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