The World Order Study Group looks at questions of international order, past and present. It takes inspiration from previous study groups on world order such as that formed at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in 1940 or the 1965 conference on the Conditions of World Order that took place in Bellagio, Italy, at the height of the Cold War. These looked at fundamental first order questions such as the structural, ethical and ideological foundations of the current world order, while exploring how they might change in the future. They also brought in leading intellectuals of the day to turn their minds to questions that were of profound importance to foreign policy. The Engelsberg World Order Study Group aims to broaden the discussion to bring a far wider variety of perspectives than previous world order study groups, in order to reflect the changing balance of power in world affairs. It is composed of a reading group, regular seminar and a public lecture series and is working towards a major conference in 2020. Scholars are asked to test new ideas and have them challenged and tested by their peers.
