Small State Advice in a Multipolar World | Events

An interview with Dr Rouzbeh Parsi of the Swedish Institute of International Affairs

Following Diplosphere's ⁠talk⁠ (in 3 parts) on the Rules-Based Order: Rhetoric or Reality (27 Feb), we spent more time with Dr Rouzbeh Parsi from the Swedish Institute of International Affairs on the importance of grand narratives and how they are changing, the retelling of history without omitting the ugly bits, the rise and rise of the "Global South", and small state advice in a multipolarity, and much more. Read on.

Dr Rouzbeh Parsi is the Head of Middle East and North Africa Programme at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs.

Upcoming Events

• RSVP here to join the O'Brien family as we launch Terence O'Brien's book: Consolations of Insignificance - A New Zealand Diplomatic Memoir - on Thu 9 May @ Unity Books, Wellington. Terence O'Brien wrote a diplomatic memoir manuscript before he died but was unable to get in published in time. The family took on this task with Te Herenga Waka University Press, and we have finally realised our ambitions! Brought to you by Diplosphere, Te Herenga Waka University Press, and Unity Books.

Terence O’Brien’s diplomatic memoir to be launched on May 9th

• Diplosphere is supporting an important discussion on AUKUS: Which way for New Zealand on 18 April at the NZ Parliament. Speakers: Rt Hon Helen Clark (former NZ PM), Hon Bob Carr (former Australian FM), Hon Enele Sopoaga (former PM of Tuvalu), Prof Robert Patman (University of Otago) on AUKUS Pillar 2. RSVP by email HERE

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ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)

• This Newsroom article by Marco Dejong and Robert Patman highlights what is at stake with the AUKUS Pillar 2 decision and includes declassified offical commentary: Aukus Pillar II compromises NZ’s principled, independent voice

• Anzus alliance - are we still in it or suspended or something in between?

• Soft power is NZ’s greatest power

Dr Rouzbeh Parsi

Dr Rouzbeh Parsi is the Head of Middle East and North Africa Programme at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs

Grand narratives lend order to human experiences in the past, but are also used to justify actions of the present and in the future. Grand narratives on ideas such as Western liberalism, globalisation, and the Cold War are being challenged today by many countries of the world. For example, the spread of human rights and democracy sits uneasily beside a story of imperialism, exploitation, and colonisation. In the past these ugly bits were simply kept out of school curricula, mainstream public discussion, most of the media in the West. Today in the West but especially in those on the receiving end of European empire, the stories of deprivations, famine, war at the hand of imperialists is current. And many see parallels in today’s conflicts. Notice Ireland and South Africa’s position at the International Court of Justice in their contentious case vs. Israel and its war on Gaza, for example.

Colonialism is the first grand narrative where, in particular in the Western world, one has a very, let's say, photoshopped version of what happened.

Another narrative that is expressed differently depending on experience is that of the Cold War. Outside the Western sphere, in places like Latin America, the experience was quite different. Historians now agree that Cold War tensions were driven by exaggerated rhetoric about capabilities and intent, so as to justify stupendous military budgets and forward deployments.

It was definitely not cold in Latin America and so on and so forth.