1936-2026: 90th Anniversary of the Journal "Politique étrangère"
Founded in 1936 and published by the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri), Politique étrangère, France’s longest-running journal of international relations, is set to publish a special issue in early June 2026. Bringing together distinguished French and international contributors, this issue aims to provide an overview of an uncertain world and its possible futures. In an unprecedented undertaking, Politique étrangère brings together a wide range of international contributions in an effort to grasp a global landscape that is at once open and fragmented, in all its diversity and dynamism. Through in-depth analyses of cross-cutting challenges, reflections on methods and structures of governance, and projections into futures feared or envisioned by creators from around the world—ranging from alternative histories to speculative thought experiments—the various approaches complement and challenge one another, opening up broad avenues for reflection.
[Excerpt] There are spirited nonagenarians… Out of respect, we won’t describe "Politique étrangère" that way: yet there it is, more vibrant than ever, observing and deciphering our worlds.
She has seen many worlds come and go. From the 1930s of the 20th century, with open or looming conflicts, nascent upheavals in the South, and plans for European alliances, to the threshold of the 2020s, marked by parallel, comparable obsessions: the war that is coming or is already here, the shifting balance of power, a Europe uncertain of itself, a Middle East still ablaze...
Same obsessions, same observers, same powerlessness? Undoubtedly, in that the tools wielded on the international stage have not fundamentally changed—the resources of human ingenuity: strength, wealth, cunning, diplomacy, and provisional agreements… Yes, again, because international problems are rarely resolved: they ultimately depend on human factors that, naturally, die and change. And yet no, because similar problems manifest differently as their environment and the broader contexts surrounding them change.
It is the task of "Politique étrangère" to bring these two levels of knowledge together: the enduring nature of international challenges and their transformations in response to changes in human societies. [...] - Dominique David, chief editor of Politique étrangère.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Editorial, by Dominique David (read it in French here)
LIVING IN THE FUTURE WORLD
The foundations (demography, food, health, etc.) and the frameworks (technological dynamics, faith and beliefs, etc.) of international coexistence in a time of profound transformation.
World Population in the Twenty-First Century, by Hervé Le Bras
Food Security: How Can The World Population Be Fed?, by Akiko Suwa-Eisenmann
From African Health Sovereignty to Global Health Security, by Jean Kaseya
Energy in the Era of the New Geopolitics, by Laura Cozzi and Thomas Spencer
How Technology Is Reshaping the World Order, by Anu Bradford (read it in French here)
Religion, Moral Order, and the Resacralization of International Politics, by Peter Mandaville
GOVERNING THE FUTURE WORLD
How to reconcile interests and strategies: the weight of power, the role of law, the impact of inequalities, the regulation of trade, the management of armed conflict, and the role of Europe.
A New Path for Europe, by Thierry de Montbrial (read it in French here)
Reflections on A Darkening World, by Jean-Marie Guéhenno (read it in French here)
Law and International Order, by Philippa Webb and Daisy Peterson
The Crises Testing Arms Control, by Patricia M. Lewis
War and Technology: An Approaching Military Revolution?, by Hew Strachan
Governing World Trade: Plutus, Midas, or Agnostos Theos?, by Jean-Marie Paugam
Governability, Inequality, and the Welfare State, by Anton Hemerijck and Waltraud Schelkle
Finance and the World: A European Perspective, by Sylvie Goulard
DREAMS OF A FUTURE WORLD
Beyond political and diplomatic strategies, what can creators—writers from all backgrounds and all continents—through their inventiveness and humor— tell us about the future of the world? From the narrowest communities to the broadest horizons?
The Jungle, by Tash Aw
A Time Capsule: Future Experiences in Russia, by Mikhaïl Shishkin
Address by the 48th President of the United States of America, Davos, January 25, 2029, by Philippe Claudel
Intimate Cartographies, by Velibor Čolić
A Hundred Years of Uncertainty, by David Diop
The Tshakapesh School, by Naomi Fontaine
The Future Has Arrived, by Leila Guerriero
A Small Valley, by Charif Majdalani
The Year of Awakening, by Vikas Swarup
This issue is available in French only: Politique étrangère, vol. 91, n° 2, 2026.
Find all issues and articles of "Politique étrangère" here: https://www.ifri.org/fr/revue-politique-etrangere
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1936-2026: 90th Anniversary of the Journal "Politique étrangère"
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A New Path for Europe
The construction of the European Union is historically inseparable from the emergence, at the end of World War II, of an Atlantic world dominated by the United States. Successive enlargements and the revision of U.S. policy are undermining the concepts upon which the European Union has been built since the fall of the USSR. It is undoubtedly time to return to a path of more diverse groupings, corresponding to the levels of commitment and the interests of the states of the Old Continent.
How Technology Is Reshaping the World Order
The central role of technology in the competition between the major powers is fueling an ever-more intense rivalry. Artificial intelligence is enabling large corporations to accrue unprecedented power, with consequences for states and even for international conflict. However, states do have tools at their disposal to regulate these developments. In this international competition, Europe has a strong hand, but must be prepared to play its cards in order to create a new kind of international cooperation.
Reflections on A Darkening World
The system that emerged after the Second World War to regulate international relations is now moribund. Russia and China may have weakened it, but it seems that Donald Trump’s United States may deliver the fatal blow. The prevailing atmosphere is one of power struggles, and the rise of nationalisms is fraught with danger. The artificial intelligence revolution also needs to be factored into this equation, as it has a strong bearing on how much power different players can exert. In this respect, Europe must ensure it does not get left behind.
Digital Revolution, Economic Upheaval
The digital revolution is profoundly shaking up the economy, with the impact felt well beyond the digital sector itself. Indeed, it is transforming the very concept of value creation. Artificial intelligence represents a new phase that requires a colossal investment in physical infrastructure like data centers. Europe failed to grasp the scale of these changes in time, but it does have certain advantages.