Multilateralism Revisited

Multilateralism has increasingly come under attack in recent years. At the same time, there is a growing understanding that contemporary issues—from climate change to artificial intelligence to pandemics—are global and require multilateral solutions. The researchers of Multilateralism Revisited study challenges to multilateralism in the past and present from an interdisciplinary perspective, combining history, political science, international law, and development studies. 

Vienna has long had an important role in hosting high-level multilateral and international meetings and organizations. The research platform Multilateralism Revisited, founded in 2026, seeks to strengthen the University of Vienna’s research profile in the context of the city’s specific role. It aims to become a dynamic institutional hub for the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary study of multilateralism and a place of exchange between academics, practitioners, and civil society representatives, with a focus on understanding processes of international negotiation and cooperation.