The conference titled “A World Order Under Threat,” held from November 25-26, 2024, was a collaborative effort by the Boris Mints Institute (BMI) at Tel Aviv University and the University of Donja Gorica (UDG). The event addressed critical global issues, including political, economic, and institutional challenges. With a focus on fostering innovative strategies and collaborations, the conference gathered leading experts from around the world to share insights and explore solutions. 
The highlight of the opening day was the prestigious BMI Prize Ceremony, honoring Prof. Beatriz Magaloni, the Graham H. Stuart Professor of International Relations and a Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. The BMI Prize, a hallmark of the institute’s commitment to addressing global challenges, recognized Prof. Magaloni for her groundbreaking work on governance and her studies on the dynamics of authoritarianism and the erosion of democratic institutions. During her keynote, titled “Rise of Authoritarianism,” Prof. Magaloni provided a compelling analysis of the growing threats posed by authoritarian regimes and their implications for global political stability. She delved into the structural conditions that enable authoritarianism to thrive, emphasizing the need for robust international mechanisms to counteract these trends. The ceremony was introduced by leadership of BMI, TAU and UDG.
 On the second day, Hon. Vaclav Klaus, Second President of the Czech Republic gave his keynote talk about A World Order Under Threat. The talk focused on inefficiencies and inaccuracies that national and international institutions oftentimes make and how this is straining the global system, reducing cooperation and increasing risks of catastrophes.
Furthermore three panels summoning the World’s leading experts were held on:
1) A panel on globalization, moderated by Amb. Prof. Itamar Rabinovich, this panel explored the successes and failures of globalization in fostering economic interdependence, alleviating poverty, and addressing migration challenges. The discussion focused on reshaping global supply chains and enhancing economic resilience.
 2) A session on strategies of war and peace addressed the rise of regional conflicts in an era once thought free of major wars. Moderated by Prof. Itai Sened, the panel examined the complexities of modern warfare, the fragility of peace accords, and the role of international cooperation.
 3) Crises in Internal Institutional Orders: Cyber, Economics, and Governance The final panel focused on the vulnerabilities within national institutions, particularly in the domains of cybersecurity, economic systems, and governance. Moderated by Ivan Jovetic of UDG, the discussion provided practical insights into institutional reforms and resilience-building.
 Collaboration Between BMI and UDG The conference underscored the strategic partnership between BMI and UDG, which aims to strengthen academic and institutional exchanges. We at BMI thank our partners at UDG for their hospitality and look forward to continue cooperating with them.

 Prof. Magaloni’s work on autocracies constitutes a key pillar for how subsequent scholars have come to understand and study multi-party autocracies, the role of elections in these systems, what shapes mass support and voting behavior in autocracies, the factors that explain why do autocratic rulers survive or die, when they democratize the electoral institutions and the conditions under which they might cede power to their opponents. Her work has appeared in the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, World Development, Comparative Political Studies, Annual Review of Political Science, Latin American Research Review, Journal of Theoretical Politics and other renowned journals.

For further information about Prof. Beatriz Magaloni:

https://politicalscience.stanford.edu/people/beatriz-magaloni

https://carnegieendowment.org/experts/2132 

The prize will be awarded to Prof. Magaloni at the joint BMI – University of Donja Gorica Conference in Podgorica, Montenegro, on November 25th.

Photo by: Rod Searcey 

 Axelrod has also shared his ideas with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel and published his research in Science and Harvard’s Negotiation Journal. The value of Prof. Axelrod’s research and policy engagement on conflict resolution has previously been recognized by the National Academy of Sciences (USA), with their award for Contributions of Behavioural and Social Science to the Prevention of Nuclear War, and by President Obama from whom Axelrod received the National Medal of Science.

Robert Axelrod, Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan, remarked: “I am truly honoured to have been selected as 2022 Prize Laureate of the Boris Mints Institute Prize. The conflicts we witness around the world seem endless. However, as my research has shown, when two sides expect to interact for a long time, cooperation based on reciprocity can emerge and be sustained.”  

Dr. Boris Mints, Founder and President of the BMI, added: “I am delighted that Robert Axelrod has been awarded this prize. His academic contributions, which are so relevant to the work of the Institute, make him a very worthy winner.” 

About the Boris Mints Prize: 

The Boris Mints Institute Prize was launched in 2017 to reward and recognize an exceptional individual who has devoted his or her research to solving a strategic global challenge, and whose public action and ideas have contributed to the welfare of a significant number of communities worldwide. Previous winners have been awarded Nobel Prizes and are leading academics addressing global issues including poverty, sustainable development, and access to vital resources. 

For further information about Prof. Robert M. Axelrod:

https://fordschool.umich.edu/faculty/robert-axelrod

https://www.societyforscience.org/alumni/notable/robert-axelrod/

Conference Report (PDF)

After recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, the world plunged into one of its darkest moments in modern history unveiling some fundamental challenges within the political, economic, and social issues of our society. Russia’s war in Ukraine has demonstrated multiple faults in the existing systems of governance, at both the national and international levels.

“A New World Order”, the Sciences Po – Tel Aviv University conference explored facets of this frightening reality to see if strategic responses to these global challenges could be developed. Ignoring such challenges would lead to catastrophic consequences for humanity. Developing new institutional solutions and the reorganization of existing ones is vital towards creating a common global eco system for humanity for the future.
There was a focus on four topics, the cornerstones for the conference. The first two focused on the heart of the problem, while the others explored where answers may come from. Two hot beds of conflict are the wars in Ukraine and in the Middle East. The conference summoned the best minds in the world to look at these and rethink whether light can be found, in the middle of these dark and long-lasting conflicts. The other two panels investigated what may change things. There too, the conference brought together the most renowned experts to explore the options. The first of these panels focused on political and economic institutions: to what extent the existing institutions are really failing us, how, why, and what could we propose as optional remedies.

The last panel focused on digital governance and cyber governance. In the future, institutions will be mostly digital or, at very least, will rely heavily on digital mechanisms to govern. The most obvious example with which one has accumulated a significant amount of experience and knowledge is the cyber world, an arena that is mostly governed by digital structures of governance. The conference summoned the top global experts on cyber governance to highlight what their experience of the structure of the cyber world tells us about Artificial Intelligence and other mechanisms of digital governance, the challenges they face and the extent to which they can solve any of the generic problems that characterize our traditional forms of governance.

At the conference, Robert Axelrod, Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Michigan, renowned for his ground-breaking work in applying game theory to conflict resolution, was awarded the prestigious 2022 Boris Mints Institute Prize.

In his research, which employed the Prisoner’s Dilemma, Axelrod discovered that cooperative choices and beneficial behaviours, with punishments in place for those that do not adhere to such, is the best way to manage conflicts. He has applied his academic findings to modern conflicts, working with the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in the former Yugoslavia, sitting down with professionals from all sides. Axelrod has also discussed his ideas with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel, and published his research in Science and Harvard’s Negotiation Journal.

The value of Axelrod’s research and policy engagement on conflict resolution has previously been recognized by the National Academy of Sciences (USA), with their award for Contributions of Behavioural and Social Science to the Prevention of Nuclear War, and by President Obama from whom Axelrod received the National Medal of Science.

Robert Axelrod, Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan, remarked: “I am truly honoured to have been selected as 2022 Prize Laureate of the Boris Mints Institute Prize. The conflicts we witness around the world seem endless. However, as my research has shown, when two sides expect to interact for a long time, cooperation based on reciprocity can emerge and be sustained.”

Dr. Boris Mints, Founder and President of the BMI, added: “I am delighted that Robert Axelrod has been awarded this prize. His academic contributions, which are so relevant to the work of the Institute, make him a very worthy winner.”

About the Boris Mints Prize:
The Boris Mints Institute Prize was launched in 2017 to reward and recognize an exceptional individual who has devoted his or her research to solving a strategic global challenge, and whose public action and ideas have contributed to the welfare of a significant number of communities worldwide. Previous winners have been awarded Nobel Prizes and are leading academics addressing global issues including poverty, sustainable development, and access to vital resources.

16:00 – Gathering and mingling in a side room of the Amphi

17:00 – Opening Statements:

Mathias Vicherat, President, Sciences Po

Prof. Milette Shamir, Vice President of Tel Aviv University for International Affairs

Dr. Boris Mints, President of BMI 

17:30 -19:00

Prof. Paul Romer, New York University, Nobel Laureate 2018, Former Chief Economist of the World Bank: “Norms for a New World Order?”

Thursday, 26.01.2023
Morning Session – link to register to the webinar

10:00-11:30  The Middle East in a Contemporary Global Perspective

Moderator: Francois Heilbronn, Adjunct Professor, Sciences Po

Ambassador Gerard Araud, School of Public Affairs, Sciences Po, former Ambassador of France to the UN, the US, and Israel

Prof. Alain Dieckhoff, Director, Center for International Studies (CERI), Sciences Po

Prof. Laurence Louër, Sciences Po

Dr. Sami Miaari, Department of Labor Studies, Tel-Aviv University

Ambassador Prof. Itamar Rabinovich, Former Ambassador of Israel to USA and President Emeritus of Tel-Aviv University

11:45 – 13:15 The Aftermath of The War in Ukraine

Moderator: Prof. Sergei Guriev, Provost, Sciences Po

Dr. Igor Luksic, UDG, Former Prime Minister of Montenegro

Prof. Marie Mendras, CERI, Sciences Po

Prof. Moritz Schularick, Department of Economics, Sciences Po

Dr. Charles Tenenbaum, Tel Aviv University, Sciences Po Lille, and Sciences Po Paris

Afternoon Session – link to register to the webinar

14:15-15:45   The New Institutional Order

Moderator: Prof. Itai Sened, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Tel Aviv University

Arancha Gonzalez, Dean, Paris School of International Affairs, Sciences Po

Prof. Philippe Martin, Dean, School of Public Affairs, Sciences Po

Prof. Paul Romer, New York University, Nobel Laureate 2018, Former Chief Economist of the World Bank: “What can we do now?”

16:15-17:45    A Cyber World and the future of Digital Governance

Moderator: Constance de Leusse, Director, McCourt Institute
Prof. Itzhak Ben Israel, Head of the Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center at Tel Aviv University

Constance de Leusse, Director, McCourt Institute

Professor Eviatar Matania, Head of the MA Cyber Governance Program at Tel Aviv University

Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for the Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO

17:45-18:30 2022 BMI Prize Award  & Closing Keynote: “The Shadow of the Future”

Prof. Robert M. Axelrod, University of Michigan, 2022 BMI Prize Laureate

18:30-18:45   Concluding Remarks:

Prof. Itamar Rabinovich, Founder and President of the Israel Institute; Former Ambassador of Israel to USA and President Emeritus of Tel-Aviv University

Prof. Sergei Guriev, Provost, Sciences Po, Paris