Tag: International Relations

The Global Network: Navigating International Relations in 2025

For our final “system update” of the year on iversonsoftware.com, we are zooming out to the largest possible scale: International Relations (IR). If domestic politics is the internal logic of a single server, IR is the complex, often chaotic networking protocol that connects every nation-state on Earth.

As of December 31, 2025, the global “source code” has been rewritten. We are no longer living in the post-Cold War “monolith”; we have officially transitioned into a highly fragmented, multipolar architecture.

At Iverson Software, we analyze how power is “routed” across the globe. International Relations is the study of how states, intergovernmental organizations, and non-state actors interact. In 2025, the primary challenge isn’t just “keeping the peace”—it’s managing a world where the old “central server” (Western hegemony) is being challenged by decentralized regional clusters.

1. The Transactional Reboot: US Foreign Policy in 2025

The return of the Trump administration has introduced a “Transactional Kernel” to US diplomacy.

  • The “America First” Protocol: The US has shifted from a global security provider to a “pay-to-play” model, demanding higher defense spending from NATO allies and prioritizing bilateral deals over multilateral treaties.

  • The Tariff Firewall: Trade is no longer just about economics; it’s a security tool. The use of aggressive tariffs (up to 60% on China) has “air-gapped” certain sectors of the US economy, forcing a massive rewiring of global supply chains.

2. The Multipolar Cluster: The Rise of Middle Powers

The “G7” is no longer the only administrative body that matters. We are seeing the rise of Multi-aligned States—nations like India, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia that refuse to “ping” only one superpower.

  • BRICS+ Expansion: With its new members, the BRICS block now represents a significant portion of the world’s GDP and energy reserves, creating a “Parallel Network” to the Western financial system.

  • Regional Autonomy: From the African Union to the Gulf Cooperation Council, regional hubs are now writing their own “Local Protocols” for security and trade, rather than waiting for instructions from the UN or the US.

3. The New Frontlines: Tech and Resource Sovereignty

In the 20th century, IR was about “land and sea.” In 2025, it’s about “Minerals and Models.”

  • The Biotech Frontier: As seen in recent trade disputes, biotechnology has become a new “Geopolitical Chokepoint,” with nations racing to control the patents and data required for next-gen healthcare.

  • Critical Minerals: Control over lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements is the new “Oil.” Diplomacy in 2025 is largely focused on securing the hardware necessary for the energy transition.

  • Space Security: With the “Year in Review” showing record space launches, the lunar surface and orbital paths are becoming contested “Real Estate,” leading to the first formal “Outer Space Traffic Protocols.”

4. The Climate Pivot: From “Planet” to “Competitiveness”

Following the limited progress at COP30 in Brazil, the international “Climate Logic” has changed.

  • Industrial Decarbonization: Climate policy is no longer framed as a moral obligation but as a “Competitive Edge.” Nations are subsidizing green tech not to save the world, but to ensure their industries aren’t “deprecated” in the new global market.

  • The Carbon Border: We are seeing the first widespread implementation of “Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms”—essentially a “Compatibility Tax” on products coming from nations with lower environmental standards.

Why International Relations Matters Today

  • Market Stability: For global businesses, IR is the “Environment Variable” that determines everything from shipping costs to regulatory hurdles.

  • Security Awareness: With 59 active military conflicts globally—the highest since WWII—understanding the “Realpolitik” of these regions is essential for managing risk.

  • The Future of Cooperation: Despite the fragmentation, “Global Problems” (like pandemics and AI safety) still require “Global API Calls.” Understanding how to navigate a multipolar world is the only way to build a sustainable future.

The State of the System: Political Science in 2025

For the final entry of the year on iversonsoftware.com, we analyze the “System Update” of global governance: Today in Political Science. As we close out 2025, the discipline has shifted from studying traditional institutions to analyzing the “New Geopolitics”—the intersection of algorithmic governance, digital sovereignty, and the restructuring of international alliances.

At Iverson Software, we monitor the protocols that keep the world running. Political Science is the study of power—who has it, how it is exercised, and the systems (governments, parties, and international bodies) that distribute it. Today, that “power” is increasingly defined by code, data, and the ability to control the digital narrative.

1. The Rise of “Digital Sovereignty”

In 2025, the most significant trend in political science is the move away from borderless globalization toward Digital Sovereignty.

  • The Fragmented Net: Nation-states are increasingly building “walled gardens” within the internet to protect their domestic information environments.

  • Data as Territory: Governments now treat data as a physical resource, similar to oil or land. Political scientists are studying how laws like the “Data Localization Acts” of the mid-2020s have redefined the limits of state power in a virtual world.

2. Algorithmic Governance and “Liquid” Democracy

The way we interact with the “State” is undergoing a major UI overhaul.

  • Automated Bureaucracy: Many administrative functions—from tax processing to social service allocation—are now managed by AI. Political science today focuses on “Algorithmic Accountability”—ensuring the “code” of the state remains transparent and fair.

  • Direct Digital Participation: We are seeing the “Beta Testing” of liquid democracy in smaller jurisdictions, where citizens can use blockchain-verified platforms to vote directly on local issues or delegate their “vote-token” to trusted experts in real-time.

3. The New Multipolarity: Beyond the G7

The “International System” has been re-indexed. The old post-Cold War hierarchy has been replaced by a more complex, Multipolar Network.

  • Regional Blocks: Organizations like BRICS+ and the African Union have gained significant “System Permissions” in global trade and security.

  • Non-State Actors: Political scientists are now forced to treat large technology conglomerates as quasi-states, given their influence over global communication, infrastructure, and even space exploration.

4. Polarization and the “Information Silo” Bug

The biggest “Stability Threat” to modern democracies remains Affective Polarization.

  • The Feedback Loop: Algorithms designed for engagement have created “Information Silos,” where citizens exist in different versions of reality.

  • Democratic Resilience: Current research is focused on “System Patches” for democracy—finding ways to bridge these silos through deliberative assemblies and neutral, AI-moderated public forums.

Why Political Science Matters Today

  • Strategic Foresight: Understanding the shift toward multipolarity allows businesses and developers to navigate the regulatory landscape of different global regions more effectively.

  • Civic Architecture: By studying how “Digital Sovereignty” works, we can advocate for a future where technology empowers citizens rather than just providing new tools for state surveillance.

  • Systemic Stability: Recognizing the “Bugs” in our current democratic models is the first step toward coding a more resilient and inclusive social contract for the next decade.