The world order that emerged after the Cold War assumed that international law, open trade, and collective security would keep conflict in check. That assumption is now being tested. The US has captured a foreign leader, bombed Iran, and weaponised tariffs against its largest trading partner. Russia continues to occupy Ukrainian territory. NATO is rearming. The institutions designed to prevent all of this: the UN, the ICC, the WTO, appear unable to stop it. In this lesson we will examine who is gaining power and who is losing it, whether the rules-based international order still exists, and what a new world order might look like.

By the end of this lesson you will have: 1. Learnt key vocabulary related to geopolitics and international law. 2. Ranked and justified the relative power of eight major global players. 3. Analysed five recent conflicts and their impact on the global balance of power. 4. Debated whether the rules-based international order is still functional. 5. Received written feedback on your communication style.