On July 21, 2021, Alexander Cooley, Claire Tow Professor of Political Science and Director of The Harriman Institute, published three chapters (chapters 1, 2, and 5) in the book Undermining American Hegemony: Goods Substitution in World Politics, which explains how international goods substitution is used to undermine hegemonic power.
The first chapter, titled “Goods Substitution and the Logics of International Order Transformation,” introduces the major categories of goods, defines the book’s understanding of international order, elaborates on the logic of goods substitution, and lays out the plan for the rest of the volume.
The second chapter, titled “Goods Substitution and Counter-Hegemonic Strategies,” argues for increased attention on the broader strategic environment in which political power maneuvers take place.
Finally, the fifth chapter, titled “The Silk Road to Goods Substitution: Central Asia and the Rise of New Post-Western International Orders,” highlights how Central Asian countries used external power’s overlapping and competing infrastructures after 9/11 to consolidate their domestic political standing.
This comprehensive and timely work explores how ebbing U.S. influence is altering allegiances, affecting autonomy, shifting identities, and revising norms.