History of International Relations

A special issue of Histories (ISSN 2409-9252). This special issue belongs to the section "Political, Institutional, and Economy History".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 1441

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, 1211 Geneva 1, Switzerland
Interests: statehood and nationalism; minority issues; diaspora politics; current political issues in post-communist Europe

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue plans to address the topic in the following two ways:

As contributors, you are welcome to trace the development of the study of international relations in specific countries, such as the United States and the Soviet Union (Russia), or to choose a specific theme, for instance, climate change, or the politics of international health.

This Special Issue is focused on presenting new ideas and advances in the very diverse field of history of international relations. The time span covered by the articles would start, essentially, from the Second World War. It is recommended that articles total no fewer than 4000 words (please note that reviews, regular research papers, essays and communications are also welcomed).

Prof. Dr. André Liebich
Guest Editor

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Histories is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • intellectual history
  • international relations

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

15 pages, 241 KiB  
Article
Coexistence or Competition? China’s Evolution in Global Institutional Power
by Shaoyu Yuan
Histories 2025, 5(2), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/histories5020020 - 22 Apr 2025
Abstract
China’s engagement with global governance has evolved significantly since 1949, transitioning from outright rejection during its revolutionary isolation (1949–1971) to strategic engagement with key institutions such as the United Nations, IMF, and WTO (1971–2000), and more recently to the creation of parallel institutions [...] Read more.
China’s engagement with global governance has evolved significantly since 1949, transitioning from outright rejection during its revolutionary isolation (1949–1971) to strategic engagement with key institutions such as the United Nations, IMF, and WTO (1971–2000), and more recently to the creation of parallel institutions like the AIIB and Belt and Road Initiative (2000–present). This paper traces these historical phases to analyze how China has navigated and reshaped global norms, balancing its integration into existing frameworks with efforts to build alternative governance structures. While Hegemonic Stability Theory and Power Transition Theory offer insights into China’s evolving strategy, neither fully encapsulates its pragmatic, adaptive approach. China’s domestic regulatory innovations, such as the Social Credit System and its promotion of cyber sovereignty, increasingly influence its global governance initiatives, reflecting a deliberate effort to export its governance models. Rather than fully integrating into or replacing the U.S.-led liberal order, China employs a dual-track strategy: engaging with global institutions where advantageous while promoting state-centric alternatives to liberal norms. This study argues that China’s historical trajectory underscores its pivotal role in shaping a multipolar world order, where competing governance frameworks coexist and challenge the dominance of Western-led institutions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue History of International Relations)
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