R“The Gulf War broke out in the Middle East, but fortunately ended after a short period of time. However, despite the arrival of the post-Cold War era, unprecedented turmoil continues in the Middle East. In such a situation, how can the end of the Cold War, which had been centered around Europe, affect the Asia-Pacific region? At present, the Baltic States are in turmoil, and the Soviet Union’s perestroika is in a critical state. Should we not reconsider the theoretical and policy-oriented foundations of the post- Cold War international order?”.

The text presented here is from the opening article of the first issue of Ritsumeikan International Affairs, published in March 1991 by the Institute of International Relations and Area Studies. It was written by the then Director, Professor Kanji Seki of the Faculty of International Relations at Ritsumeikan University. As a student of the Faculty of International Relations at the time, reading this article more than thirty years later, I can almost hear Professor Seki’s distinctive voice in my mind.

The Institute of International Relations and Area Studies was established in April 1988, the same time the Faculty of International Relations was founded at Ritsumeikan University. The first issue of the journal was published three years later. Professor Seki’s writing conveys a sense of urgency and determination, as the newly established institute sought to analyze the current state of international society and explore future prospects amid the turmoil of the post-Cold War period, including the U.S.-Soviet declaration of the end of the Cold War, the Gulf War triggered by Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, and the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Over the past thirty years, international society has faced even greater turmoil than the end of the Cold War. In fact, the scale of this upheaval may be the largest since the end of World War II.

In the post-WWII world, under U.S. leadership, principles of international order based on what is called “liberal internationalism” developed. This principle states that when conflicts or disputes arise between sovereign states or within a state, all members must respect rules which have been democratically formed through the consensus of the involved parties.

By adhering to this principle, international cooperation and peaceful resolution of conflicts have been sought in the global arena. While there have certainly been instances where this principle was violated, it is undeniable that, at least in the U.S. and Europe, international order based on “liberal internationalism” has been pursued, and countries have made efforts to cooperate.

However, currently, the world faces open changes to the status quo through the use of force, explosive dissemination of false information, and growing divisions as people increasingly hate those with differing opinions. The principle of “liberal internationalism”, which aims to resolve conflicts through dialogue and negotiation with those who hold differing views, is on the brink of extinction. Despite Russia’s extreme actions in Ukraine and Israel’s excessive “self-defense” leading to countless deaths, the United States, once the leader of liberal internationalism, has partially abandoned this role. The most extreme form of nationalism in the U.S. in over a century has plunged the world into chaos.

In such a turbulent era, the role of a research institute is limited. Papers, books, and speeches produced by researchers may seem like a mere “mantis’s axe” when confronted with overwhelming violence and division. However, the Institute of International Relations and Area Studies at Ritsumeikan University intends to boldly tackle the challenges facing international society, building on the research results of our predecessors, and widely disseminating new research outcomes out into society. We humbly ask for your continued guidance and cooperation.

Keiichi Shirato
Director, the Institute of International Relations and Area Studies Ritsumeikan University