Multipolar world order and defining role of communication

We are living in a century of unprecedented changes. The world is moving towards a Multipolar World Order (MWO). Countries are readjusting their positions, and at the same time refining their objectives and strategies. Global players are deploying multiple tools to maximise their sphere of influence, extract benefits and to play a leading role in global decision-making.

They use economic strength, military might and diplomatic manipulation power to outcompete other players. However, communication has outpaced all instruments of power play. Since the dawn of 21st century, communication power has changed global dynamics.

Communication has become a defining force; rather, it is at the forefront in shaping evolving world order. It has become a lethal weapon of 5th-generation warfare, reshaping power and influence dynamics. Complexity of communication landscape, with its myriad strategies and tactics, is a challenge all must deal with. It is applied to shape narrative, construct image, destroy reputation of opponents, undermine initiatives of opponents, and, most importantly, demoralise the nations.

It is used to create chaos and anarchy among nations to sabotage national growth and cohesiveness of society. It follows the saying, “A well-thought, well-strated lie travels 1000 times faster than bad-structured and communicated truth”. It highlights importance of communication narrative, skills, and mediums in achieving the objectives.

However, tools, mediums and communication actors are evolving and changing significantly. We are now experiencing the most advanced stages of communication in human history. Information technology has redefined the meaning and landscape of communication and exchanges.

The most significant aspect of this evolution is that the State no longer holds absolute authority or control over communication, information and means of communication. The rise of cyberspace and technological advancement has eroded the control and authority of the State.

Against this backdrop, the States will have to devise and refine their communication policies, strategies and actors. It is required to survive evolution shock, advance objectives and strengthen their positions. The West, led by US, is cognizant of this reality and working on refining its actions. Although they already dominate communication skills and mediums, they are still putting efforts into refining their policies and implementation frameworks. It is helping them further strengthen their dominance in the global communication landscape. They effectively use it to lead the communication warfare and achieve their goals. They are so powerful in communication warfare they can undermine any initiative or policy of any country, shift their responsibility on others, orchestrate colour revolutions, etc. The most prominent examples on this front are the campaigns against BRI, shifting responsibility of climate actions to South and colour revolutions in Arab countries and Ukraine, etc.

Therefore, the Southern players of new world order must step outside their comfort zones and be innovative. They have to refine their communication policies, strategies and actors. They need to comprehend it is not a matter of choice, but a need of the time. Southern players’ biggest problems or challenges lack independent narratives, weak communication mediums, and most importantly, looking towards the West or Western experts to endorse their narrative or communication skills. The need for non-Western players to develop independent narratives is not just a suggestion, but a pressing necessity.

First, Southern players should stop seeking endorsement of their narratives or communication frameworks from Western experts. In this way, they undermine their experts and discourage them from venturing into new narratives, tools or communication mediums. This effectively stops the process of independent narrative building.

It has been observed Southern players give a prominent place to Western experts and undermine their own or Southern experts. The Western experts use this place to expand their influence and interests. In this way, the South handed over the policy space to Western player to manipulate in their favour.

They also extract financial resources and other material benefits. After a certain period, or when they do not get prominence or receive monetary benefits, they start criticising Southern narratives and policies. They suddenly remember their Western values and supremacy.

Second, the players will have to adapt to new realities of the communication landscape and invest in an independent approach to narrative development, communication policies, strategies, and tools. For that purpose, the South should facilitate academia and independent researchers, especially those who understand Southern values and governance models, to set up new think tanks. They must focus on objective research and analyse South‘s investment policies, role in international growth and development, governance, diplomacy, and policy of non-interference as a major power to construct a reality-based narrative to present the true picture.

Moreover, media and think tank partnerships should be encouraged by providing incentives to disseminate the message at a wider scale. This would be ideal, as think tanks would give authentic material, and the media would disseminate it. On the cyberspace front, work needs to be more sophisticated.

The cyber communication policy should not be oriented only towards Twitter, Facebook or YouTube, but must adopt a comprehensive approach. Create narrative, data or context for dissemination. Identify right set of instruments to disseminate. For example, you want to create hype only or give a meaningful, authentic message.

Create your narrative and write papers and essays. Moreover, writers should be encouraged to make Vloges of their papers and essays in local languages. It will help disseminate the message on a larger scale. Senior officials should be asked to write papers on specific subjects. This will help create authenticity in the information. Create and promote southern communications platforms like WeChat, Weibo, etc.

The most crucial step would be changing southern communication policy and strategy philosophy. They need to come of State-led or controlled communication and work with people and encourage them to lead the way. Invention of cyberspace and new technologies in communication bring the creation and dissipation of narratives and messages to the hands of common people. It also has changed dynamics of media and news creation. Now, people’s journalism is a fast-evolving concept.

Further, the post-truth era has made it extremely difficult to distinguish between truth and lies. Thus, people’s engagement has become extremely important. States must build people’s capacity and capability to understand new dynamics, fake news, fake narratives, fake evidence, etc.

In conclusion, the players and aspirants of emerging multipolarity must comprehend the strength of communication policies, strategies and actions will determine each player’s status. Economic, military or diplomatic strength will not help without a proper and dynamic communication framework. In economic terminology, economic, military and diplomatic strengths are essential, but not sufficient.

However, the philosophy of communication policies, strategies, and actions must be refined according to new needs and realities. According to AIERD, the best way to embrace new realities would be to engage people, create people’s networks of communications and news, and strengthen these networks to assist the State apparatus.