HOW CAN THE PRESENT ECONOMIC CRISIS AFFECT THE STRUCTURES OF GLOBAL GOVERNANCE?

Although not yet clearly defined as a concept, globalization was perceived over the past few decades as an evidence of the fact that the world finds itself in an accelerated process of transformation under the impact of political, economic and technological forces. The power, functions and authority of the states needed to be redesigned as we have to reckon now with juxtaposed loci of political authority - national, regional, international - in comparison with the period when the states created the Westphalian order for the system of international relations. This new order that established itself smoothly came increasingly under attack from different directions. The present paper tries to examine to what extent the present world economic crisis will be able to contribute to addressing at least some of the misgivings of this globalized world and its structures. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]