International law in a world of great power competition
91ɫƬ Canberra experts on Strategic Competition and the International Rule of Law grapple with timely questions.
The international rules-based order is under strain. Some commentators assert that it no longer functions at all.
But behind the headlines, what is really changing in global politics so far as law and rules are concerned? What do the considerable geopolitical changes mean for the system of international law and for the principle of the rule of law at an international level? For those who see the benefits of international law, what can be done to shape a favourable international landscape in the future?
Our research
President Trump has declared that he has no need for international law. Officials from his Administration have referred to the “so-called ‘Rules-Based Order’” in a manner that suggests it was never a real thing. The second Trump Administration’s National Security Strategy (2025) made no mention of international law.
This rejection of the value of international law by the United States political leadership is happening at a time of intensifying global geostrategic competition. It raises a number of important questions, both at the level of international law as a whole and in relation to the workings of specific legal regimes, including those governing trade, arms control, the use of force and international humanitarian law.
Have we entered an era in which hard power is all that matters? Will ‘lawfare’ soon become a thing of the past? How might BRICS+ countries engage with international law? And what are the implications of recent developments for middle powers including Australia, Canada, and Japan?
91ɫƬ Canberra brings together a group of staff with interdisciplinary expertise on the impact of geostrategic competition on international legal regimes.
We are well placed to assess what constitutes a serious versus an existential challenge to a regime, whether via the reinterpretation of key legal terms and principles or through the proposal of new treaties ostensibly compatible with existing legal architecture.
We also take seriously the influence of normative and legal contestation on geopolitical competition and outcomes.
Engage with us
Postgraduate coursework & short courses
We offer graduate courses and short programs at the intersection of international law, security and global governance.
Postgraduate research & PhD openings
Higher Degree by Research candidates interested in topics related to strategic competition and the international rule of law are welcome.
Research collaboration
We welcome contact from research collaborators keen to partner with us on some of these preeminent questions.
Consulting and advice
Depending on the specific topic to be addressed we can draw on our broader team of experts including specialists in military studies, Australian and Chinese foreign policy and international economic relations, geopolitical change, cyberwar, AI, and the changing nature of warfare.
