A new NPR series looks at the forces changing the world order

For decades after the end of World War II, the phrase “liberal international order” was often associated with a few things: globalization, multilateralism and a rules-based global system anchored by U.S. leadership. But today, this order is fracturing as authoritarian powers resurge and global alliances shift.

Seen from Washington, President Trump’s tariffs, doubts about the effectiveness of security alliances such as NATO and skepticism toward multilateralism are pushing many countries — including some of the United States’ most steadfast allies — to imagine a future where they must “go it alone.”

Yet they might not be so lonely: As the U.S. influence wanes, countries are looking together to fill the vacuum many feel the U.S. is leaving behind. This is particularly true in defense and security. These are uncertain times, and there is no guarantee that the new international dynamics will produce the progress and prosperity that the world has experienced since 1945.

The World, Reordering series curates the best reporting by NPR’s international correspondents and other reporters to better understand the dynamics that are changing the world we live in today and how what might seem like disorder is actually the groundwork for a new way of organizing international relations. We explore the past and the present and ponder what the future may look like.

You can find more of our coverage here, on the State of the World podcast or in the Up First newsletter.