Crises of the 21st century

The first decades of the twenty-first century have been marked by a series of flashpoints — from the the US-led ‘War on Terror’ (2001-), Global Financial Crisis (2007-8), Arab Spring (2010s), to the migration crisis in Europe (2015),  Covid pandemic (2020), and the Russo-Ukrainian war (2014-) — as well as increasing awareness of other systemic weaknesses in the global order, such as those arising from climate change and environmental issues.

In our globalized world the complex interdependence of societies and economies means that disruptions — whether the result of political instability, regional conflict, public health crises, environmental catastrophes or financial shocks — have the potential to have long-lasting and increasingly unpredictable effects, and reveal vulnerabilities previously overlooked. The ripple effects caused by complex crises can be deep and widespread, damaging the very fabric of society, and provoking civil unrest and undermining social cohesion.