Conference Call for Papers

“Navigating Global Governance in a Multipolar World”

(28-29 May 2026)

Cergy, France

The Faculty of the Anglo-American Legal Program at the Faculté de droit de l'Université CY Cergy Paris is proud to organize this conference in collaboration with the Laboratoire d'Études Juridiques et Politiques (LEJEP) and the newly formed Institute for Multipolar Governance.

Organizers: Dr. Patrick Clairzier (CY Cergy Paris Université); Dr. Inès Hassen-Dakhli (CY Cergy Paris Université); Dr. Moustafa Traore (Panthéon-Assas University Paris II); Dr. Douglas Yates (CY Cergy Paris Université)

Objective: Examine the evolution, challenges, and opportunities of global governance structures in a world increasingly defined by multiple power centers, emphasizing inclusivity, innovation, and collaboration.

Conference Theme: The world is undergoing fundamental change. We have entered a period of international interregnum, where the global order established at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, after World War II—with Western nations at its core and the United States as its leader—appears to have reached its ebb. At its height during the twentieth century, the Western system wielded extraordinary economic, political, and military power. However, this international formation was challenged early in its ascendancy by a second bloc of countries coalescing around the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), which contested Western dominance and set the stage for the Cold War era defined by two rival blocs. The collapse of the USSR between 1989 and 1992, juxtaposed against the apparent global triumph of Western capitalism, led political scientist Francis Fukuyama to declare in his seminal essay “The End of History?” (1989) that humanity had reached “the end point of mankind's ideological evolution and the universalization of Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government.” By the mid-1990s, Western powers sought to solidify their dominance through what Stephen Gill, professor at York University (Canada), termed “new constitutionalism.” This framework saw Western-led institutions pivot toward “global economic governance,” aiming not only to prescribe international norms but to reshape states—both developed and developing—to align with a privatized capitalist system. Yet, as Professor John J. Mearsheimer observed, “[t]he liberal international order, erected after the Cold War, was crumbling by 2019. It was flawed from the start and thus destined to fail.”

This failure has manifested in the rise of non-Western powers such as the BRICS coalition, China’s and Russia’s geopolitical ascendance, internal fragmentation (evidenced by populist and xenophobic movements in Europe and the U.S.), and the erosion of Western cultural and moral authority—marked by selective application of international law and diminishing technological-military dominance. The fracturing of the system is underscored by newly elected Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, who remarked in his electoral victory address: “Our old relationship with the United States, based on steadily increasing integration, is over. The U.S.-anchored system of open global trade—a system Canada relied on since WWII and one that, while imperfect,


delivered decades of prosperity—is over.” These shifts reflect a multipolar reality where Western hegemony is increasingly contested, with its moral legitimacy waning. At the same time, the traditional divide between a developed ‘North’ and an underdeveloped ‘South’ has become increasingly inadequate in explaining today’s geopolitical landscape. Power and influence are now distributed across a wider range of states, regions, and actors, though inequalities remain both between and within them. This loss of legitimacy is part of a wider array of global challenges. Compounding these are environmental degradation, armed conflicts, developmental disparities, and the spread of exclusionary migration policies.

How will a multipolar system address these interconnected crises within an evolving governance landscape and diverse ideological frameworks? To explore these questions, we invite submissions for this inaugural conference, focusing on advancing research to understand the emerging multipolar order. We welcome interdisciplinary contributions bridging law, economics, political science, sociology, cultural studies, and related fields, and encourage dialogue among scholars, academic institutions, and public/private organizations.

Submission Details: We welcome submissions addressing, but not limited to, the following core themes:
1. Historical Context: The colonial/neocolonial legacy and the transition from unipolarity to multipolarity—lessons from history.
2. Rethinking International Law and Governance: Modernizing the UN system and security frameworks to reflect current power dynamics
3. Emerging Powers: The role of BRICS, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and other transitional processes reshaping political-economic landscapes.
4. Multipolarity, Culture and Migration: Reshaping cultural dynamics, multicultural cities, migration policies, and the politics of exclusion.
5. Regionalism vs. Globalism: Balancing regional priorities (e.g., Africa, EU, ASEAN) with global cooperation.
6. Climate Change and Multilateralism: Collaborative approaches to climate action, pandemics, and sustainable development.

Conference Publication Goals: Selected papers presented at the conference will be considered for inclusion in an edited book volume. Submissions will be evaluated based on their academic rigor, relevance to the conference themes, and potential contribution to broader scholarly discourse. Authors of shortlisted papers will be invited to revise and expand their work to meet publication standards, with final selection subject to peer review and editorial approval. Further details on submission guidelines and timelines will be provided to participants during the event.

Important Dates:
• Submission deadline: 27 February 2026
• Notification of acceptance: 31 March 2026
• Registration deadline: 15 April 2026
• Conference: 28-29 May 2026

Submission Terms and Conditions:
• All submissions must be in English and must represent original, unpublished work.
• Submissions must be aligned with one of the conference’s official themes (Do not submit under multiple themes).
• Authors who wish to be considered for inclusion in an edited book volume must submit an extended abstract.
• All submissions will undergo a peer-review process. Acceptance, rejection, or requests for revision are at the sole discretion of the organizing committee.

Abstract Submission Requirements:
• Word Limit: In English and maximum of 500 words, excluding references. Submissions being considered for possible inclusion in edited book volume must submit an extended abstract of a maximum of 1000 words.
• Format: Abstracts must be original, unpublished work written in English. They must clearly outline the research problem, methodology, findings, and relevance to one of the conference themes. Multiple theme submissions will not be considered.

Submission Procedure:
All abstracts must be submitted electronically via the official CYU website platform.
•Submissions must include the following:
-The title of the abstract.
-The full names and institutional affiliations of all authors.
-A contact email address for all authors.
-Notification of successful submissions will be sent via email.
Please note: All authors of accepted abstracts must complete their registration by the deadline of 15 April 2026.

Please submit your paper using the following link:
https://forms.office.com/e/ZMhS25jQG5

Conference Fees:
In accordance with French university regulations governing such events, attendance for this conference will be provided on a complimentary basis, with all participant fees waived. Please note that all attendees are personally responsible for their own travel and accommodation expenses. To maintain the quality of discourse and adhere to venue capacity, total attendance will be strictly limited. Prospective attendees must complete a registration process, which will be subject to formal approval by the conference committee prior to confirmation.

Ethical Standards:
All submissions must be original, avoid plagiarism in any form, and provide proper citations for all referenced material in compliance with academic and copyright norms. Authors bear full legal and ethical responsibility for any breaches of these standards, including plagiarism, copyright infringement, or academic misconduct.

Withdrawal Policy:
Authors wishing to withdraw their abstract must notify the committee in writing as soon as possible. Send notification via: angloamericanconference2026@ml.u-cergy.fr

CY Cergy Paris University – Faculty of Law
-Faculty Homepage: https://cydroit.cyu.fr/
-LEJEP Research Lab: https://cydroit.cyu.fr/recherche/lejep-laboratoire-etudes-juridiques-politiques
-Anglo-American Law Program: https://cydroit.cyu.fr/formations/licence-3/licence-3-droit-francais-parcours-droit-anglo-americain