IDAS Series — Book Launch & Talk with Dr. Yves Tiberghien
Date :
2026-03-26
Department :
International Doctoral Program in Asia-Pacific Studies
【Article by IDAS】
Understanding how middle-power states navigate intensifying great power competition has become imperative of contemporary international relations. These dynamics were the focus of a book launch and lecture delivered by Dr. Yves Tiberghien, Adjunct Chair Professor of IDAS at NCCU and Professor of Political Science at the University of British Columbia, held on 23 March 2026 at National Chengchi University (NCCU). The event, organized by the International Doctoral Program in Asia-Pacific Studies (IDAS), featured his latest book, The Hedgers: How the Global South Navigates the Sino-American Competition, followed by a talk on recent electoral developments in Japan titled “The Surprising New Voter Patterns Behind the Big Takaichi Victory.”
Dr. Tiberghien’s lecture addressed a central question in contemporary global politics: how Global South middle powers respond to and shape a rapidly evolving international order. He characterized the current moment as a period of accelerated historical transformation—an interregnum in which the established order is eroding. In this environment of heightened uncertainty and instability, middle powers are no longer passive rule-takers but increasingly active agents shaping the trajectory of global politics.
The book advances three central arguments. First, periods of global order transition create expanded strategic space for middle powers. As power diffuses across the international system, these states gain opportunities not only to maneuver between major powers but also to influence outcomes and reshape incentives. Second, the rise of Global South middle powers is closely tied to the diffusion of economic and political power. The growing economic weight of the Global South has fundamentally altered the structure of the international system. Third, these states have developed active hedging strategies, rejecting the notion that hedging is merely a temporary posture. Instead, they engage in deliberate, multidirectional strategies designed to maximize autonomy, expand influence, and accelerate the emergence of a more multipolar order.
Dr. Tiberghien emphasized that the current international system is best understood as a hybrid order, combining elements of unipolarity, bipolar rivalry, and emerging multipolarity. This hybrid structure creates fluidity and uncertainty, offering middle powers increased opportunities for strategic maneuver. Unlike the rigid bipolarity of the Cold War, the present system allows states greater flexibility to pursue independent foreign policies, resist alignment pressures, and challenge existing institutional arrangements.
This is a key implication for the transformation of Japan’s political landscape that delivered Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s unprecedented 2/3 majority in Japan’s lower house in February 2026. As critical global events contributed significantly in shaping electoral consideration, with opposing pressures from the US and China. The election also saw a rare coalition between conservative voters and young undecided voters, as well as female voters that overwhelmingly supported Takaichi. The result was a major realignment in Japanese politics.
Both lectures highlighted the broader systemic impact of an increasingly challenged international order on the behavior of middle power states, and their domestic implications. While hedging strategies provide political maneuverability, they also contribute to alliance conundrums forcing major reconsideration of government priorities. Dr. Tiberghien further underscored the importance of ideational factors in shaping foreign policy behavior and developing domestic political support. The rise of digitally and politically engaged young voters can transform domestic expectations, making governments more responsive to national identity and public opinion.
During the open forum, international and domestic students posed questions inquiring deeper into the perspective of states on the rules-based international order. Dr. Tiberghein described those certain aspects of the existing international order was appreciated by the global south states but not all. As these states were not a unified actor, but only coalesced at certain points of agreement. A similar inquiry was asked about Japan’s election results, which sought to understand the geographic divide in Japanese politics. The results showed, according to Dr. Tiberghien, that the LDP were more successful in winning back the urban vote, as well as winning a comprehensive electoral support across the country.
In conclusion, the lectures provided a compelling account of how Global South middle powers are navigating and reshaping a period of profound international transformation. By highlighting the interplay of structural change, strategic agency, and evolving global norms, Dr. Tiberghien’s work offers important insights into the future of global order and the increasingly central role of middle powers in shaping it.
Understanding how middle-power states navigate intensifying great power competition has become imperative of contemporary international relations. These dynamics were the focus of a book launch and lecture delivered by Dr. Yves Tiberghien, Adjunct Chair Professor of IDAS at NCCU and Professor of Political Science at the University of British Columbia, held on 23 March 2026 at National Chengchi University (NCCU). The event, organized by the International Doctoral Program in Asia-Pacific Studies (IDAS), featured his latest book, The Hedgers: How the Global South Navigates the Sino-American Competition, followed by a talk on recent electoral developments in Japan titled “The Surprising New Voter Patterns Behind the Big Takaichi Victory.”
Dr. Tiberghien’s lecture addressed a central question in contemporary global politics: how Global South middle powers respond to and shape a rapidly evolving international order. He characterized the current moment as a period of accelerated historical transformation—an interregnum in which the established order is eroding. In this environment of heightened uncertainty and instability, middle powers are no longer passive rule-takers but increasingly active agents shaping the trajectory of global politics.
The book advances three central arguments. First, periods of global order transition create expanded strategic space for middle powers. As power diffuses across the international system, these states gain opportunities not only to maneuver between major powers but also to influence outcomes and reshape incentives. Second, the rise of Global South middle powers is closely tied to the diffusion of economic and political power. The growing economic weight of the Global South has fundamentally altered the structure of the international system. Third, these states have developed active hedging strategies, rejecting the notion that hedging is merely a temporary posture. Instead, they engage in deliberate, multidirectional strategies designed to maximize autonomy, expand influence, and accelerate the emergence of a more multipolar order.
Dr. Tiberghien emphasized that the current international system is best understood as a hybrid order, combining elements of unipolarity, bipolar rivalry, and emerging multipolarity. This hybrid structure creates fluidity and uncertainty, offering middle powers increased opportunities for strategic maneuver. Unlike the rigid bipolarity of the Cold War, the present system allows states greater flexibility to pursue independent foreign policies, resist alignment pressures, and challenge existing institutional arrangements.
This is a key implication for the transformation of Japan’s political landscape that delivered Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s unprecedented 2/3 majority in Japan’s lower house in February 2026. As critical global events contributed significantly in shaping electoral consideration, with opposing pressures from the US and China. The election also saw a rare coalition between conservative voters and young undecided voters, as well as female voters that overwhelmingly supported Takaichi. The result was a major realignment in Japanese politics.
Both lectures highlighted the broader systemic impact of an increasingly challenged international order on the behavior of middle power states, and their domestic implications. While hedging strategies provide political maneuverability, they also contribute to alliance conundrums forcing major reconsideration of government priorities. Dr. Tiberghien further underscored the importance of ideational factors in shaping foreign policy behavior and developing domestic political support. The rise of digitally and politically engaged young voters can transform domestic expectations, making governments more responsive to national identity and public opinion.
During the open forum, international and domestic students posed questions inquiring deeper into the perspective of states on the rules-based international order. Dr. Tiberghein described those certain aspects of the existing international order was appreciated by the global south states but not all. As these states were not a unified actor, but only coalesced at certain points of agreement. A similar inquiry was asked about Japan’s election results, which sought to understand the geographic divide in Japanese politics. The results showed, according to Dr. Tiberghien, that the LDP were more successful in winning back the urban vote, as well as winning a comprehensive electoral support across the country.
In conclusion, the lectures provided a compelling account of how Global South middle powers are navigating and reshaping a period of profound international transformation. By highlighting the interplay of structural change, strategic agency, and evolving global norms, Dr. Tiberghien’s work offers important insights into the future of global order and the increasingly central role of middle powers in shaping it.