Whose Future? Global Visions in a Contested World

About this episode

The episode discusses the implications of shifting power dynamics in a contested world and their impact on global inequality.

This episode is a recording of our recent event held in Think Corner in Helsinki. Whose Future? Global Visions in a Contested World explored the state of the world in 2026 and what today’s shifting power dynamics mean for societies most affected by global inequality. As geopolitical tensions escalate and global governance faces growing contestation, the discussion asked: where does power truly lie, and whose futures are prioritized? A central theme was the meaning of a “multipolar world.” Does multipolarity create new space for countries and communities outside traditional centers of power, or does it merely reshape old hierarchies under new forms? The panel connected global dynamics — including deglobalization, autocratization, colonialism, neoliberalism, and populism — to everyday realities such as livelihoods, public services, migration, citizenship, and the struggle to meet basic needs. The discussion also explored what is often missing from mainstream narratives, and where there may still be room for solidarity, political agency, and alternative futures. Guests: Walden Bello is a renowned scholar and activist, Honorary Senior Research Fellow at SUNY Binghamton, and…

People in this episode

Guests: Walden Bello, Robtel Neajai Pailey

Topics covered

• global inequality
• geopolitical tensions
• multipolar world
• deglobalization
• political agency
• alternative futures

Keywords

• global governance
• multipolarity
• autocratization
• neoliberalism
• populism
• migration
• citizenship

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Focus on the Global South

Books & works: Global Battlefields: Memoir of a Legendary Public Intellectual from the Global South

Places: Helsinki

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