A Deep Dive Into Global Geopolitics: Is War Imminent?

On March 11, we hosted a webinar addressing a topic that’s particularly timely, given today’s terse geopolitical landscape. “Researching Geo-Politics and War: Europe on the Brink?” explored the ongoing tensions in Eurasia, as well as history’s role in shaping modern conflicts. We couldn’t think of anyone better to lead this discussion than Dr. Vladimir Petrovic. 

Dr. Petrovic is a Senior Researcher at both the Institute for Contemporary History in Belgrade and the CEU Democracy Institute. He’s also a published author and has worked as a lecturer at multiple colleges, including Boston University, Central European University, and Harvard Extension School. His expertise in history, law, mass political violence, transitional justice, and historical forensics is what makes him one of our most esteemed Faculty Advisors. Dr. Petrovic has led many of our students to academic success through his research program, War and Peace: International Relations Through the Ages. And during this webinar, his conversation with Dr. Christopher Brown, Scholar Launch’s Director of Education, gave us a sobering view of international relations and actions our students can take to help make the world a better place.

What’s Happening in the World Today?

“We live in a dangerous world. We have always been living in a dangerous world,” Petrovic stated when asked about the current geopolitical landscape. “But the danger which is looming ahead of us,” he continued, “is a very complex one.” The international reality we’re facing today is multifaceted, with many interconnected elements simultaneously at play. Economic insecurity, rising tensions between the Global South and the Global North, ongoing migrations of people groups all over the world, and a climate change crisis that promises inevitable consequences we cannot yet fully grasp. 

These are the issues at the top of Dr. Petrovic’s mind. “What I see is a mountain of problems,” he admitted, “and what I also do not see is the legions of people who are ready to wrestle with those problems.” nother pressing issue in our world is the challenge of navigating vast amounts of information and ensuring accuracy in an era of rapidly evolving narratives. Petrovic noted this as an obstacle when leaders like him try collaborating with decision-makers like prime ministers to solve these existential problems. The beginning of his interview with Dr. Brown did not mince words. However, hope is far from lost. 

While the geopolitical landscape is undoubtedly harrowing, Dr. Petrovic was clear in his assertion that determined young people, like those who attended the webinar, can still make a difference. How? Start by resisting the urge to be overwhelmed by the chaos. Then, hone in on a specific issue that aligns with your interests and dedicate your education and career to providing a solution. There is more than one way to save the world through academia. You can tackle healthcare and reshape global initiatives that impact human life by pursuing an education in public health. You can focus on climate change and specialize in environmental law, advocating for legislation prioritizing our planet’s well-being. 

No one person can fix everything, but individual experts can make a big difference when they work together.

Is World War III a Real Threat?

Dr. Petrovic continued by highlighting key geopolitical regions to watch in 2025, including areas experiencing heightened tensions such as Gaza, South Sudan, Ukraine, and Congo, among others. The inevitable follow-up question to this is the one on everyone’s mind: Is another world war imminent? The answer isn’t a simple yes or no, of course, but modern history can explain much of where we are today.

When the Cold War finally reached its long-awaited conclusion in the early 1990s, it thrust our world into a state of global transition that’s still in flux over 30 years later. After Russia, formerly the USSR, went bankrupt after its fall, the United States stepped in to fill the void. America then became the preeminent superpower in the 90s, ushering in a golden age of liberal Western democracy that some began calling “the end of history”. The dominating idea was that the overwhelming conflicts of the 20th century were left forever in the past. So how did we get to such tense global relationships today?

Dr. Petrovic continued our history lesson by noting the devastating impact of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, which proved to many scholars at the time that it was naive to believe prevailing cultural or ethno-religious conflicts could be simply washed away by the transition to democracy and capitalism. In fact, that utopian worldview of the 90s overlooked a key weakness of this new world order. “The transition to capitalism creates a lot of discontentment,” said Petrovic. “The gap between the rich and the poor becomes unbearable, and it becomes the source of a huge resentment which can lead to populism.” 

The global landscape has been shaped by events such as 9-11, economic shifts following the 2008 financial crisis, and the increasing influence of emerging economies, leading to a complex and evolving international order. It goes without saying that violent conflict, as America tries to retain its power and other nations demand their fair share, isn’t what any of us want. Leadership and Innovation Lab’s latest issue of the student-run magazine Legacy Gazette paints a realistic picture of how political violence affects populations, particularly the youth. However, according to Dr. Petrovic, there are avenues we can take to avoid World War III. To catch up on the entirety of our conversation about the current state of geopolitics and learn about the fascinating timeline of events that led us to this moment in history, watch our webinar replay.

We live in a world that’s constantly remade by the cycle of conflict, reconciliation, and collaboration. Throughout history, though, ambitious young people and their mentors have ushered us into a more peaceful and progressive future. We believe in our students’ abilities to make the world a better place through education and look forward to next month’s webinar, where we’ll continue learning how to use our minds for the betterment of humanity.