Keywords:
International relations, Global power shifts, U.S. foreign policy, Unipolarity, Multipolarity
Abstract
Alyssa Granato’s essay explores the evolving structure of global power, arguing that the international system is shifting from unipolarity—dominated by the United States—toward multipolarity, with China and Russia emerging as formidable global actors. Drawing from international relations theorists including Layne, Pape, Waltz, and Monteiro, the paper examines how economic interdependence, military fatigue, and strategic “soft balancing” signal the erosion of U.S. hegemony. Granato critiques the limitations of unipolar dominance, including its tendency toward moral decay, regional conflict, and global resentment, while presenting multipolarity as a more stable, interconnected alternative. The paper blends theoretical frameworks with recent historical developments to offer a compelling case for a changing world order.
Author Biography
Alyssa Granato
Alyssa Granato graduated with a B.A. in Political Science
from Rutgers University in 2022. She was a member of the
Honors College and the Political Science Honors Program.
Through the program, she has done original research on
attitudes toward consent practices in the age of #MeToo to
shed light on staggering rates of sexual assault, particularly on
college campuses. She served on the executive boards of the
Political Science Society and the Student Governing
Association (SGA), where she chaired the Student Health and
Wellbeing and Sustainability committees. Through the Civic
Scholars program, Alyssa also did social outreach volunteer
work with the Promise Neighborhood Family Success Center
in Camden, a preventative program aimed to empower the
family unit in urban areas. She has done constituency work at
her local legislative office. She is currently pursuing her
Master of Applied Psychology at Rutgers University in New
Brunswick, where she specializes in Addiction Counseling
Training. She hopes to continue conducting research and
helping populations that are often underserved, particularly
when it comes to mental healthcare policy and accessibility.
