Description
From Rome and the Ottomans to Britain, the Soviet Union and the United States, empires have repeatedly risen, expanded and declined throughout history.
This major conversation examines how great powers lose legitimacy, how societies experience transition and how political orders begin to fragment and transform.
Exploring imperial overstretch, symbolism, nationalism, nostalgia and the psychology of decline, the panel asks whether we are witnessing another major global transition and what history reveals about moments when established orders begin to unravel.
About the Chair
Saeed Khan
Saeed Khan is a cultural historian and commentator based at Wayne State University in Detroit, where he teaches in the departments of History and Global Studies. His academic expertise includes Islamic and Middle Eastern history, Islamic political thought, and transnational identities. Alongside his academic work, he is a frequent analyst for international media outlets. Saeed is the founder of the Center for the Study of Trans-Atlantic Diasporas, a policy institute focused on ethnic and immigrant communities in North America and Europe.
About the Academics
Professor Paul Rogers
Paul is Emeritus Professor of Peace Studies at Bradford University. He is a biologist by original training, lecturing at Imperial College in plant pathology and working as a senior scientific officer in Uganda and Kenya. He moved to Peace Studies at Bradford University in 1979, working primarily on the changing causes of international conflict, especially in relation to socio-economic divisions and environmental limits to growth. He is international security adviser to Open Democracy, writes a weekly column, and is a frequent broadcaster. His most recent book is The Insecurity Trap, Hawthorn Press, 2024.
Dr Nafja Sabbah Al-Kuwari
Dr Nafja Sabbah Al-Kuwari is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the Department of International Affairs, Qatar University. Dr Al-Kuwar’s research interests centre on Gulf foreign policy, regional security, and diplomacy, with particular emphasis on the evolving dynamics of international relations in small states. Her work explores how smaller states navigate complex regional environments and employ diplomatic strategies to enhance their strategic positioning and security.
About the Author
Vince Cable
Vince Cable is a Visiting Professor at London School of Economics and Political Science and a Distinguished Fellow at the Overseas Development Institute. He was previously UK Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills and President of the Board of Trade. He has a PhD in economics from the University of Glasgow and in the 1990s worked as Chief Economist for Shell. His books include The Storm (2009), After the Storm (2015), Open Arms (2017), Money and Power (2021) and The Chinese Conundrum (2022) and his latest Eclipsing the West (2025).
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