Prof. Dr. Miriam Prys-Hansen

This article reframes contemporary global governance as structural transformation rather than decline. Introducing strategic pluralism, normative blending, and polycentricity, it shows how Global South actors act as co-creators of flexible, multi-scalar authority through pragmatic alliances and context-specific norm-making.

In 2026, trade negotiations with the US and EU will need to be balanced by India with the demands of its BRICS presidency amid a shifting global order. Complex ties with China and the US, state elections, and tensions with the South Asian country’s diverse neighbours will test the ruling government.

In this introduction to a Special Issue on “Novel Perspectives on the Global Politics of Status”, the authors discuss the main findings of the contributions and give an outlook of the impact of their multifaceted explorations of status-seeking in the contemporary global order on IR research.

In diesem Beitrag wird diskutiert, ob neue Institutionen wie BRICS Vorboten einer parallelen globalen Ordnung sind. Trotz wachsender geopolitischer Rivalität muss daraus kein Systemwettbewerb werden – die meisten Staaten des Globalen Südens haben großes Interesse an bestehenden westlichen Beziehungen.

This special issue advances debates on status in international relations by integrating novel empirical research with innovative theoretical perspectives. It moves beyond traditional power-centric views, highlighting social and relational dimensions of status-seeking as a foreign policy practice.

Beim Treffen der Shanghai-Organisation bekunden China, Russland und Indien Geschlossenheit. Doch eine neue Weltordnung zu beschwören, hält Prof. Dr. Miriam Prys-Hansen für übertrieben. Europa könne noch gegensteuern – etwa mit fairen Handelsangeboten.

Prof. Dr. Miriam Prys-Hansen was interviewed by Bayern 2 - Welt am Morgen on the occasion of the 17^th BRICS Summit on 6 and 7 July in Rio de Janeiro. Key topics were the role of the absence of Chinese President Xi Jinging, the debate on conflicts in Iran and Gaza and the prospect of BRICS’ climate leadership.

Organiser: German Institute for Global and Area Studies Prof. Dr. Patrick Köllner (Organiser, Panelist), Prof. Dr. Rudra Sil (Panelist), Prof. Dr. Matthias Basedau (Panelist), Dr. David Kuehn (Panelist), Prof. Dr. Miriam Prys-Hansen (Moderator), Dr. Eileen Doherty-Sil (Panelist)

Coming together for a roundtable, several contributors to "Advancing Comparative Studies: Analytical Heterogeneity and Organizational Challenges" (Oxford University Press 2025) launch the volume at the GIGA. They address the approach’s development in the past ten years and the content of the new book.

Organiser: Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation e.V. (Berlin) (FES Berlin), Friedrich Ebert Foundation Dr. Tomas Costa de Azevedo Marques (Speaker), Dr. Johannes Plagemann (Speaker), Prof. Dr. Miriam Prys-Hansen (Speaker)

As global cooperation fragments, this piece examines how the G20 can act in a weakened multilateral order, what South Africa’s presidency could deliver, and how Germany can help make it a success.

Master level seminar at the Leuphana University, Lüneburg

Leuphana University of Lüneburg Lüneburg Germany