Old Links and New Ties ― Power and Persuasion in an Age of Networks

In an international landscape, where emerging newly empowered states are projecting economic and political challenges from Asia, Africa and Latin America, countries like Britain have to redefine roles for themselves in a new order that has reshaped the world. These new roles, as envisaged by David Howell, will rely far more on connectivities and fluid networks than on geographically defined blocs. How will Britain fare in this entirely new international landscape? With power and influence shifting to the developing world, and with a growing network of hyper-connections and communications between nations, Britain is already fundamentally re-positioned. In this context, Howell presents a unique solution: engage with and re-energize the existing Commonwealth network of nations which is bound together by history and cultural connections. Emphasizing the importance of soft power in the digital age, the author argues against the restrictions posed by traditional blocs and for the dynamism which Commonwealth linkages offer. Challenging traditionally accepted economic and political theories, Howell presents a unique new perspective on international and diplomatic relations in the 21st Century.

David Howell (Lord Howell of Guildford) is a former Secretary of State for Energy (1979-81) and also served as Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for International Energy Policy (2010-12). He is the author of Out of the Energy Labyrinth (I.B.Tauris) and The Edge of Now.