Infrastructure in the age of financial reorganisation and geopolitical turmoil (1/2)

Abstract der Sitzung

The world is living in an age of volatility and disorder, with infrastructure being at the heart of much of today’s geopolitical turmoil. At the same time, China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the EU’s Global Gateway highlight the interest of states in securing influence over the development of (critical) infrastructure. In recent decades, China has sought to increase its influence in the reshaping of the world’s financial system, for example, by establishing financial institutions of global reach and influence such as the Asian Development Bank and positioning the RMB as a competing reserve currency. Established financial systems are being challenged by the rise of new actors and changing power relations, challenging traditional coalitions. In conjunction with the quest for influence, infrastructures have become the object of foreign direct investment, often even directly linked to the state. These changing conditions are also related to the demand for secure and affordable energy supply and supply chain reliability. The severe realities and consequences of climate change are further increasing pressure for private and public decisions in favour of sustainable transition. In this context, this session aims to discuss the recent structural changes and developments in infrastructure creation.

We welcome contributions that address a range of infrastructure, related to (but not limited to)

• the emergence of new financial mechanisms and stakeholders;
• the reorganisation of governance structures in supply chains;
• shifts in power relations across different levels;
• geo-economic challenges;
• geopolitical implications of climate change adaptation and mitigation;
• the cumulative effects of contemporary crises on regions and infrastructures;
• responses and strategies to the arising challenges in the age of crises.

This session welcomes contributions in both German and English.