Just a few decades ago, it was said that we lived in a “world” made up of two or three “worlds”: the Western world, the Soviet sphere, and the so-called “Third World.” After the Cold War ended, a type of market-unifying globalism spread that was often associated with American unipolarism. Formulas for global governance were sought outside of the UN framework. Complex global interdependencies were considered evidence that humanity should live in a centrally governed world. However, such a scenario was not feasible. Idealism and realism in international relations are distinct paradigms with different applications.

After the 2008 crisis, globalism underwent a transformation, and nation-states reaffirmed their sovereignty. The result was not a complete return to the Westphalian order but rather a reconsideration of the autonomous status of legitimate governance. Thus, globalization, interdependency, and interconnectedness have been maintained and reinvented. Nation-states have proposed revising traditional attributes, emphasized the external framework, and agreed to involve non-governmental actors in internal and international decision-making processes. For economic, financial, and managerial reasons, they have also preferred the regional associative dimension. Based on this vision of international relations, we can predict that the future international system will feature a multipolar world comprised of several worlds. In this system, the balance of power and complex interdependencies will require a functional framework. In other words, we will live in a world of worlds!

Vasile Pușcaș

In Magna Civitas. The worlds of our world, Prof. Pușcaș offers with a critical eye a study of international systems from the time of the First World War to the present day: the successes and the failures. He brings to the subject years of research and study. Equally important, he brings as a balance his own years representing Romania in Washington and Brussels, where he could observe, participate and importantly contribute to the workings of interstate activity. He offers a welcome Romanian perspective too often missing in serious study of these turbulent years. This book will be an enduringly important contribution to the field. Highly recommended.

Ernest H. Latham, Jr., PhD, historian and diplomat, Washington, D.C.