Description
Over the past three decades, the liberal international order has been anchored in norms of democracy, human rights, international law, and multilateral governance. However, this order is increasingly contested, as persistent conflicts, rising autocratisation, and global humanitarian crises expose tensions within its institutional and normative foundations. This paper examines how the authority and legitimacy of international legal frameworks and norms are being renegotiated in world politics.
Moving beyond narratives of external backlash, the paper argues that the current legitimacy crisis is also rooted in internal contradictions within the liberal order, including its technocratic expansion and Western-centric design. It explores how state and non-state actors –particularly populist and illiberal regimes– strategically appropriate or disregard liberal discourses to legitimise exclusionary or authoritarian policies. In doing so, it highlights the perpetual and dynamic nature of the politics of international law and norms, and the shifting, evolving meanings of compliance, accountability, and legitimacy.
By reconceptualising norm contestation as a driver of transformation rather than merely a sign of decline, this paper contributes to debates in international relations, international law, and global governance. It offers a nuanced framework for understanding the resilience, adaptation, and possible futures of the liberal international order, with implications for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners engaged in transnational governance.