With the waning of globalization, post-Cold War world is becoming a site of sovereign nationalism. Elucidate.

Q10. “With the waning of globalization, the post-Cold War world is becoming a site of sovereign nationalism.” Elucidate. (Answer in 150 words)

Model Answer

Globalization after the Cold War was seen as a force for interconnected markets, liberal democracy, and multilateralism. However, recent trends indicate its waning and the reassertion of sovereign nationalism.

Sovereign nationalism in the Post Cold war: 

• Economic Protectionism: With globalization weakening, states prioritize domestic industries, jobs, and supply chain security over free-market integration.
  • E.g. U.S.–China Trade War (2018 onwards): Tariffs on steel, technology, and imports reflected economic nationalism.
• Geopolitical Fragmentation: Old Cold War bipolarity is being replaced by multipolar rivalries and regional blocs, weakening globalization’s integrative force.
  • E.g. Russia–Ukraine War (2022–): West sanctions Russia; Moscow turns to China and Global South → fragmentation of financial/energy markets.
  • West Asia Conflicts (Israel–Iran, Gaza): Regional bloc alignments undermine global cooperative frameworks.
• Action against multilateralism and global institutions: Countries now prioritize protecting domestic industries and jobs over WTO-led liberalization. It weakens multilateral trade institutions, fosters bilateral confrontations, and pushes states to pursue self-reliant supply chains.

Since the beginning of Trump’s second term, the U.S. has withdrawn from key multilateral institutions and agreements it once helped establish, including:

• World Health Organization (WHO)
• United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
• Paris Climate Agreement
• Sanctions imposed on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its officials.
• Unilateral imposing Tarifffs

• • Weaponisation of E-Supply Chain (Semiconductors, 5G, Rare Earths): Technology supply chains are no longer neutral; they are strategic chokepoints in global geopolitics.
    • E.g. U.S. restrictions on Huawei/semiconductors to China, and China’s dominance in rare earths, show how control over tech is used for strategic coercion.
  • Disruption in Supply Chain: USA’s America First Trade Policy with the use of tariffs and potential import restrictions disrupts global supply chains.
  • Regressive attitude towards globalisation among great-powers: The “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) vision could falter without multilateral cooperation.

• Impunity and Overlooking of Human Rights: Despite the impunity and human rights violations in Palestine and Ukraine, we have not been able to come up with suitable actions against perpetrators. As countries see these issues from the lens of national interests.

• Denial of Climate Justice: USA has come out of the Paris Agreement and developed countries have refrained from releasing the committed funds for the climate justice, reflecting specticism towards the most pressing global issues of climate change.

However, there is still hope:

• Countries have managed to make progress on finalising the Pandemic Treaty and UN Cybercrime Treaty which shows that their countries can collaborate to come up with global multilateral solutions.

The waning of globalization has led to re-sovereignization across economy, politics, technology, and health. Nations are asserting control over resources, borders, and digital domains. While this strengthens state autonomy, it weakens global governance mechanisms, creating a more fragmented world order.

There is a need for greater dialogue and focus on reforming forums for cooperation among countries, so that they realise that their goals and aspirations can be best achieved when they collaborate. In this respect, there is a greater role of reforming global institutions led by the UN for promoting globalisation and trust among countries.

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