About the Book
With the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, warnings of a new Cold War proliferated. In fact, argues Gilbert Achcar in this timely new account, the New Cold War has been ongoing since the late 1990s.
Racing to solidify its position as the last remaining superpower, the US alienated Russia and China, pushing them closer and rebooting the ‘old’ Cold War with disastrous implications. Vladimir Putin’s consequent rise and imperialist reinvention, along with Xi Jinping’s own ascendancy and increasingly autocratic tendencies, would culminate, respectively, in the invasion of Ukraine and mounting tensions over Taiwan and trade.
Was all this inevitable? What comes after Ukraine, and what might the contours of a more peaceful world look like? These questions and many others are addressed in this essential book by one of the most seasoned analysts of international relations.
About the Author
Gilbert Achcar grew up in Lebanon. He is Professor of Development Studies and International Relations at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He has written extensively on politics and development economics, as well as social change and social theory. His publications include The Clash of Barbarisms: September 11 and the Making of the New World Disorder (2002), published in 15 languages; Perilous Power: The Middle East and US Foreign Policy (2008), with Noam Chomsky; the critically acclaimed The Arabs and the Holocaust: The Arab-Israeli-War of Narratives (2010); The People Want: A Radical Exploration of the Arab Uprising (2013); and Morbid Symptoms: Relapse in the Arab Uprisings.
Reviews
‘Learned and incisive, this masterful study of the New Cold War – by the scholar who first identified and studied it – is an indispensable guide to the current global disorder and its ominous portent.’ Noam Chomsky
'[A] powerful, necessary, and timely book.' Irish Times
'Nobody will be happy with Gilbert Achcar's book and that's why it is worth reading (in addition to being written very clearly) ... definitely worth reading.' Branko Milanovic
‘This volume is perfectly timed to anatomise the newest stage of the conflict. No one who hopes to move beyond complacent rhetoric and slogans can afford to miss this essential book.’ Samuel Moyn, Yale University
Podcasts
Cheltenham Festival Gilbert Achcar was invited to discuss The New Cold War on 14 October 2023 at the Cheltenham Literature Festival. He was joined by Robin Niblett in a debate moderated by Peter Conradi. The event took place in the city’s Town Hall with 1,000 attendees. → Audio Recording
