Sustainable History

This website is dedicated to the ideas and publications of Nayef Al-Rodhan.

Dr. Nayef Al-Rodhan is a Philosopher, Neuroscientist and Geostrategist.

He is currently Senior Member of St. Antony’s College at Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom and Senior Scholar in Geostrategy and Director of the Geopolitics of Globalisation and Transnational Security Programme at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, Geneva, Switzerland. Read more

EndorsementS

“This book is an exceptionally wide-ranging examination of past and present approaches to the securing of a qualitatively adequate social life on the planet. The need for intercultural dialogue is pressing and stated as a matter of urgency in the text. That argument is well-presented and it is helpfully accompanied by a large amount of empirical evidence. The book is also a strong and ethically attractive humanist statement about the value of human interaction that incorporates a vision of mutual respect based on a mixture of scientific arguments and normative aspirations. Those features are very impressive.”

Professor Michael Freeden, Professor of Politics, Director of the Centre for Political Ideologies, Professorial Fellow, Mansfield College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.

"Dr. Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan challenges us to grapple with the meaning of history and how it could lead to the improvement of the human condition. This book presents his views on how a sustainable history based on human dignity could be achieved. In his opinion, this requires good governance, based on “reason, security, human rights, accountability, transparency, justice, opportunity, innovation and inclusiveness.” I agree, and I hope that the path laid out in this book attracts many followers."

President Jimmy Carter, 39th President of the United States.

“No-one seeking to understand the modern condition can afford to ignore Dr Al-Rodhan's inspiring book, a profound analysis of the core values around which effective global governance can be built and sustained.”

Lord Anthony Giddens, House of Lords, Former President of LSE, UK.

Sample Quotes

1) "I define sustainable history as a durable progressive trajectory in which the quality of life on this planet or other planets is premised on the guarantee of human dignity for all at all times and under all circumstances." (Nayef Al-Rodhan, Sustainable History and the Dignity of Man, p. 13)

2) "The sustainable history approach set out in this study views history as propelled by good governance paradigms that balance the tension between human nature attributes (emotionality, amorality and egoisms), on the one hand, and human dignity needs (reason, security, human rights, accountability, transparency, justice, opportunity, innovation and inclusiveness), on the other." (Nayef Al-Rodhan, Sustainable History and the Dignity of Man, p. 13)

3) "In my opinion, a life governed by reason is likely to be more dignified than one shaped by dogma and unbridled emotions." (Nayef Al-Rodhan, Sustainable History and the Dignity of Man, p. 437)

Article of the week

Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan and Gérard Stoudmann, "Historical Milestones of Globalization," Program on the Geopolitical Implications of Globalization and Transnational Security, June 19, 2006.

Concept of the week

Tripwire Pivotal Corridor (TPC)

The world’s most volatile geopolitical area: a corridor that runs from north to south between 30 and 75 degrees east. The corridor includes countries from three continents: Africa, Europe and Asia. In the east, it incorporates the disputed territories of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as China’s Xinjiang province. At its western edge, it includes the Horn of Africa and the entire east coast of Africa. The corridor also includes the Arctic Circle in the north and Antarctica in the south. This corridor is called the “Tripwire Pivotal Corridor” (TPC). It is argued that, without stability in the TPC, there can be no stability at the international level.

(see Neo-statecraft and Meta-geopolitics by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan)

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