The Revenge of Malthus: Pax Indo-Pacifica and Rhizomatic Order

Abstract

Drawing on the works of diverse thinkers, ranging from Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari to Yuval Noah Harari, Francis Fukuyama, Robert Kaplan, Samuel Huntington and Naim Moises, the chapter looks at the longue duree future of the Indo-Pacific security architecture. In particular, it focuses on the likely impact of worsening climate change and disruptive technological innovation on nation-states across the mega-region, and how this necessitates the creation of increasingly robust and nimble patterns of cooperation among regional powers. The chapter looks at the severe vulnerability of the region to the mega-challenges of the twenty-first century, and how this could completely transform nations across the Indo-Pacific as well as their interactions.