Research Seminar | Power, Ideas, International Order and Global Governance

While social sciences offer clues to understand, interpret and analyse social realities, dynamics and trends, they do so from their respective perspectives, necessarily limited and conditioned, which need to be complemented by a more holistic and philosophic vision and reflexion departing from essential questions for Humanity, for the human being and for the planet and considering underlying paradigms and ideas. In this seminar, the author will try to contribute maieutically to such reflexion, carrying out an intellectual itinerary considering a global governance approach for the navigation of Spaceship Earth destination future, with reference to the main challenges for humanity and the planet; a geopolitical approach; an approach to underlying paradigms and ideas structuring social life and consensus, as well as to universality and policentrism; an approach to power; and approach to "us" and to collective identities; a perspective from China's cosmovision and global rise; and a perspective from European construction, concluding with considerations on the International Order and global governance at a crossroads.

Doctor in Political Science by the Authonomous University of Barcelona, Master in Advanced European Studies by the College of Europe (Bruges, Belgium) and in Law and in Economics by the University of Barcelona, Manuel Montobbio has carried out both a diplomatic and an academic and literary trajectory. A Career Diplomat since 1987, he has been Ambassador Permanent Representative of Spain to the Council of Europe and Deputy Permanent Representative of Spain to the OECD, Ambassador of Spain in Andorra and the first resident Ambassador of Spain in Albania; and has been posted at the Embassies of Spain in San Salvador, Jakarta, Mexico and Guatemala. He has hold, among other positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain, those of Ambassador ad Large, responsible of the Action Plan for the promotion of Spanish presence in International Organization, Ambassador ad Large for the Universal Forum of Cultures Barcelona 2004, Director of the Cabinet of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Director of the Planning and Evaluation Office of the Secretary of State for Cooperation and Senior Adviser at the Policy Planning and Foresight Office. Author, among others, of the books of essay La perplejidad del quetzal. La construccion de la paz en Guatemala (2021/2019), Ideas chinas. El ascenso global de China y la Teoría de las Relaciones internacionales (2017), Búnkeres (2015), Tiempo diplomático (2012), Salir del Callejón del Gato. La deconstrucción de Oriente y Occidente y la gobernanza global (2008) and La metamorfosis del Pulgarcito. Transición política y proceso de paz en El Salvador (1999), of books of poetry and of several publications on peace processes, international and intercultural relations, political transitions and compared politics, he is an Affiliated Faculty member at IBEI and has lectured postgraduate courses at different universities.