A World of Struggle: How Power, Law, and Expertise Shape Global Political Economy

by David Kennedy

How today's unjust global order is shaped by uncertain expert knowledge—and how to fix itA World of Struggle reveals the role of expert knowledge in our political and economic life. As politicians, citizens, and experts engage one another on a technocratic terrain of irresolvable argument and uncertain knowledge, a world of astonishing inequality and injustice is born.In this provocative book, David Kennedy draws on his experience working with international lawyers, human rights advocates, policy professionals, economic development specialists, military lawyers, and humanitarian strategists to provide a unique insider's perspective on the complexities of global governance. He describes the conflicts, unexamined assumptions, and assertions of power and entitlement that lie at the center of expert rule. Kennedy explores the history of intellectual innovation by which experts developed a sophisticated legal vocabulary for global management strangely detached from its distributive consequences. At the center of expert rule is myriad everyday disputes in which expertise drifts free of its moorings in analytic rigor and observable fact. He proposes tools to model and contest expert work and concludes with an in-depth examination of modern law in warfare as an example of sophisticated expertise in action.Charting a major new direction in global governance at a moment when the international order is ready for change, this critically important book explains how we can harness expert knowledge to remake an unjust world.

Genres: Economics, Politics, History, Law, Nonfiction, Social Science

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 22, 2016

About the author

David W. Kennedy is Manley O. Hudson Professor of Law and Faculty Director of the Institute for Global Law and Policy at Harvard Law School where he teaches international law, international economic policy, legal theory, law and development and European law.

Reviews

[Yu Li · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of th best book I have read this year, good book about 'world making' and plasticity, ambivalence and conflicts nature.

'if you can imagine states as a solution to the inequality of a empire and conflicts of regimes or ideology, you are more than half way to image the world govern(?)'.

Not sure fully understood the international law part(regulation of capital, labor, credit, money and liquidity or even warfare devices). But get inpired of the stuggle of technocrats and limitation of political choices. Academics and practitioner. Also, had a completely new perspective of world economy and law devices.

Want to dig deeper about the enforce, dynamics of 'World Economics Forum' (the network part of how the 'global issue are framed', collective role of management)and 'United Nations'. The struggle of a global capitalism system, or at least a capital market driven system and cosmepolitian humanism image.

[Sayam Asjad · Rating 5 out of 5]

A World of Struggle offers a compelling critique of how expert knowledge influences global politics and economics. Drawing from his extensive experience with international law and policy, Kennedy argues that expertise often obscures power dynamics, presenting inequality and injustice as technical issues rather than political ones.

The book is structured into three parts: the first examines how expert knowledge shapes global governance; the second delves into specific professions and their roles in this process; and the third focuses on the role of law, particularly in warfare, as an instrument of power. Kennedy's analysis is both thorough and thought-provoking, challenging readers to reconsider the neutrality of expertise.

However, the dense academic language may be challenging for general readers. While the book provides a deep theoretical understanding, it offers fewer practical solutions for addressing the issues it raises.

Overall, A World of Struggle is an insightful read for those interested in the intersection of law, power, and global politics, though it may be more accessible to readers with a background in these areas.

[Caesar N.W · Rating 5 out of 5]

For someone with no legal background, most of the concepts in this book are applicable in my profession in technology. There’s a lot about just the legal process that in itself is interesting, but most of the core concepts around expertise is quite applicable in my industry as well.