Recently at CIGI we have launched three initiatives, which examine the Rising BRICSAM and their impact collectively and individually on global governance.

The first is the Princeton Summer Workshop, which in collaboration with our partners at Princeton University (Dean Anne-Marie Slaughter and Professor John Ikenberry)  we held from August 25th through the midday of August 27th. This Conference was an opportunity for authors to present and discuss their first draft efforts. The title of the Conference and the future volume identifies the meeting focus  – ‘Rising States; Rising Institutions.’

There are chapters on the largest of the emerging powers – Brazil, China and India and how these three impact global governance.  There is a chapter examining the development of a number of emerging power organizations; a chapter on emerging power of the EU and an examination of the leadership of the US in global governance.  In addition many of the international organizations examined look specifically on the growing influence of the BRICSAM – the G20 Finance Ministers, the IEA, the ‘War on Terror,’ to name a few.

The discussions around each chapter presentation were very lively and each author received significant feedback on their first drafts.  The dialogue and discussion was helped in particular by the invited guests including, Miles Kahler (UCSD), Art Stein (UCLA), Stephen Bernstein (University of Toronto), Drew Fagan (DFAIT) and Jeff Legro (University of Virginia). In future blogs I shall review some of the chapters and how what they are saying about the Rising BRICSAM.

The second CIGI initiative was the just completed annual CIGI conference – CIGI ’08.  Held at the CIGI headquarters in Waterloo, Canada  the annual conference was titled, “China in the Shifting World Order“.  As stated this annual conference was designed to, “explore China’s impact as an emerging power on the world stage.” The Conference was designed as well to,”examine how international governance structures and [how] different regions are adjusting to this new force.” Finally, the Conference sought to, “address global ramifications of China’s dramatic growth both economically and politically, and to facilitate better understanding of China’s position in the world.”

One of the personally satisfying aspects of the two-day inquiry was that many of the speakers in attendance were colleagues and friends from China – Huang Ping, Director of the Institute of American Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Zhang Haibing, Associate Professor, Shanghai Institute for International International Studies, Su Changhe, Dean at the School of International and Diplomatic Affairs, Shanghai International Studies University, Jimin Zhao, Fellow at the University of Oxford and Jiang Haishan, Director General, Department of International Exchanges Program and Development , China Executive Leadership Academy Pudong.

Finally, CIGI ’08 was the setting for the release of Emerging Powers in Global Governance: Lessons from the Heiligendamm Process.  This volume edited by Andrew F. Cooper and Agata Antkiewicz examined the structured dialogue process launched by the Germans in the G7/8 Summit of 2007.  For blog post readers of Rising BRICSAM, you will know that I have written on a number of the BRICSAM country chapters.  However, it is good to see the entire volume and recommend the volume to blog post readers.