Editorial

This editorial introduces volume 33 of Irish Studies in International Affairs, arguing that the contemporary international system is marked by an unprecedented “polycrisis” of interconnected challenges, from the COVID‑19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to energy insecurity, climate emergency and inflationary pressures. It situates the 2022 conference theme, “Global Power Shifts: Connectivity, Cooperation and Conflict,” in this context and highlights Ireland’s continued commitment to multilateralism through the EU and UN amidst the resurgence of realpolitik and unilateral power politics. The editorial surveys contributions addressing US–China rivalry, debates between neorealism and neoclassical realism, American grand strategy and offshore balancing, and China’s reading of the Indo‑Pacific Economic Framework, alongside analyses of small‑state resilience in Europe’s periphery and the Greek and Irish experiences of austerity. It also summarises work on hybrid warfare and Russian grey‑zone tactics, Kashmiri self‑determination narratives, post‑conflict urban space in East Belfast, prospects for an all‑island football association, Mediterranean search‑and‑rescue operations, Ireland’s wartime internal security and neutrality, its contemporary foreign relations and UN Security Council term, and trends in Irish development aid. Overall, the editorial underscores the need for renewed global cooperation, theoretically informed analysis and empirically grounded research to navigate shifting power structures and persistent humanitarian challenges.