Forum on Oliver Richmond’s The Grand Design: The Evolution of the International Peace Architecture

Abstract

In this forum, seven scholars discuss Oliver P. Richmond’s The Grand Design: The Evolution of the International Peace Architecture, published in 2022. The editors, Gëzim Visoka and Annika Björkdahl, contextualise the book’s contribution within the broader intellectual framework of Richmond’s thoughts and writings on peace in the context of International Relations. Roland Bleiker examines the book’s main caveats and the outlook of international peace architecture from a postcolonial and marginalised perspective. Xiaoyu Lu delves into the complexities of international peace architectures and advocates for a post-human, multispecies approach to future political orders. Tarja Väyrynen presents a feminist critique of the book as well as the modular and rhizomatic ontologies of international peace architecture. Michael Pugh evaluates the book’s contribution from a cosmopolitan and political economy standpoint, unpacking its main ideas. Andrew J. Williams emphasises the ‘leftover’ aspects of peace layers that are critical to the evolution and constitution of international peace architectures. In his reply, Oliver P. Richmond provides an engaging response to the forum contributors by clarifying and defending the book’s central premises.