ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book argues that analysing emerging middle power behaviour requires us to combine both agency and structure to provide more nuanced understanding. International order in the 21st century is changing rapidly due to the shift in the global distribution of power. After the Cold War ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, many scholars characterised the current international order as unipolar, in which the United States was the only remaining superpower. The change in the international system is seen in the rise of non-Western middle powers that previously were exclusively viewed as regional powers. Together, with rising powers like China, emerging middle powers such as Brazil, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and Turkey now have the capability to shape global governance through their active engagement in several areas of it, such as trade, finance, the environment, and human rights, among others.
