The Great Decoupling: A New Global Dis/Order?

The last few years have witnessed radical global fractures. The neoliberal globalization model of free markets and liberal democracy is in crisis. State-directed investment in “sovereign capacity” is in full swing whilst commitment to global regulatory systems is in retreat. The UN system has been marginalised as new security-driven alliances proliferate. The “radical centre” is under siege whilst emergent political voices confuse epochal distinctions of Right and Left, alternating between dangerous volatility and abject passivity. As the climate emergency begins to bite, global cooperation has given way to talk of mutually assured destruction (MAD).

This conference will focus on one key dimension of the global crisis: the attempt to “de-couple” the western dominated part of the global economy from that controlled by China. The de-coupling or de-risking strategy may have strong economic motivations, but ultimately the stakes are geopolitical. The US-led West seeks to limit China’s rise to global economic prominence, along with the military-political influence this inevitably brings with it. China meanwhile claims to be a victim of encirclement and proclaims its desire for a peaceful rise. This is at a moment when the “Global South”, especially in Latin America, Africa, and the Pacific Islands, are less “aligned” with the West than at any time in the last 30 years.

How are we to interpret this dangerous situation?

• Is de-coupling – or the alternative “de-risking” – actually taking place, or is it rhetoric?

• If it is happening, how and where is it happening, and what consequences does it bring?

• How will de-coupling affect our response to common global challenges, such as climate change, green transition, biodiversity?

• Are we heading towards a confrontation between China and the US-led West that will destroy us all?

• Or is there a compromise that negotiates co-existence?

• How might we imagine a solution that points in the direction of peace instead of war?

• Is there any Left left regarding China?

• How should we respond to the fractures and possible turmoils ahead?

• How do both the elite and people in the street in the Global South feel and deal with this global confrontation and fracturing?

The conference will take place online on Friday, 15th December 2023. To accommodate participation from around the globe, the conference will take place in two sessions, from 8am-12pm and 3pm-7pm Adelaide Time (ACDT) (UTC +10.30) respectively.

A paper collection of this conference will be published, hopefully, by Palgrave

Organizers

Professor Justin O’Connor, University of South of Australia

Professor Mobo Gao, University of Adelaide

Dr Baohui Xie, University of Adelaide

Jack Butcher, University of Adelaide

Image Source: Getty Images

Friday 15th of December

8am -12:30pm (ACDT)

Introduction - Jacob Dreyer, Shanhai
Keynote - Richard Wolff, New York
China's neoliberal moment (US)/End of the End of History (Australia)/ Pax Sinica (Russia)	Panel 1: 9am - 10am
Decoupling from the Global South (China)/ Global Dynamics from Latin America (Argentina)/ De- coupling from Latin America (Argentina)	Panel 2: 10am-11am
EU and Geopolitics (Australia). China and Pacific Islands (Australia)/ Brics and the New Global Order (Brazil)/ China and the US dispute from Latin America (Argentina)	Panel 3: 11am - 12:15pm

Friday 15th December

3pm - 7:30pm

Critical Mineral Supply Chains (Australia)/ De-couple and foreign investment (China)/ Near-shoring and Friend-shoring (Australia)	Panel 4: 3pm-4pm
Dual Nature of De-Risk (China)/ Great Power rivalry in the Middle East (Israel) Uopian and Imperial vision for peace (Hong Kong)	Panel 5: 4pm-5pm
Environment and De-Coupling (Australia)/ Decoupling and AI Governance (UK)/ Ah Q, Materialism meets Modernity (China)	Panel 6: 5pm - 6pm
De-Coupling and Autonomy (Hong Kong)/ Decolonisation and Balkanisation (France)/ De-coupling and Global Capital (Australia)/ Risks and Opportunities of China's Global Engagement (Australia)	Panel 7: 6pm-7:15pm