The age of unorder

The age of unorder

From Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes by ECFR

May 1, 2026 · 25 min

About this episode

Mark Leonard and Ayşe Zarakol discuss the concept of 'unorder' in today's global crises and its implications for Europe.

This week,  Mark Leonard  welcomes  Ayşe Zarakol ,   professor of international relations at Cambridge University,   to explore whether today’s global crises signal disorder or a deeper shift toward “unorder,” where shared rules and assumptions are no longer relevant.  Drawing on historical parallels—from the interwar period to the upheavals of the 17th century—Zarakol suggests that this may be the start of a longer era of fragmentation. Together, they examine what this means for Europe, from letting go of old ways of thinking to redefining its role in a more unpredictable world.  Rather than restoring a fading order, the focus shifts to a more urgent scenario: what is worth preserving and how can Europe adapt to chaos to survive?  This podcast episode was recorded on 26th of February.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Host: Mark Leonard

Guest: Ayşe Zarakol

Topics covered

  • global crises
  • unorder
  • fragmentation
  • Europe
  • chaos
  • international relations

Keywords

  • unorder
  • global crises
  • fragmentation
  • Europe
  • international relations
  • chaos
  • historical parallels

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Cambridge University

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