Cities and global governance
What role do cities play in the emerging geopolitical order? Major cities are increasingly crucial actors in addressing international challenges, such as climate change, migration, health, and international security. Working through transnational networks and city-city diplomacy, this 'foreign policy of cities' is reshaping how we think about international politics and global governance.
Research outputs
- Curtis, Simon; Klaus, Ian (2024) 'Will Major Cities Continue to Shape Global Economic Governance?'
- Curtis, Simon (2021) ‘Global Cities, world order and post-pandemic futures’
- Curtis, Simon (2021) 'Cross-cutting perspectives on cities and international law: An international relations perspective'
- Curtis, Simon (2019) 'Global Cities as Market Civilization'
- Curtis, Simon; Acuto, Michele (2019) 'The Foreign Policy of Cities'
- Curtis, Simon (2018) ‘Global Cities and the Ends of Globalism'
- Curtis, Simon (2016) 'Global Cities and Global Order'
- Curtis, Simon (2016) 'Cities and Global Governance: State Failure or a New Global Order?'
- Curtis, Simon (2014) 'The Power of Cities in International Relations'
- Curtis, Simon (2014) ‘Empowering Cities’
- Curtis, Simon (2014) ‘The Meaning of Global Cities’
- Curtis, Simon (2012) 'Global Cities and the Transformation of the International System'
Project Director
Dr Simon Curtis
Project Lead
Biography
Simon is Associate Professor in International Relations, and a Principal Fellow at the People Centred Institute for AI at the University of Surrey.
His books include Global Cities and Global Order (Oxford University Press), which was awarded the 2018 Hedley Bull Prize by the European Consortium for Political Research, and The Belt and Road City (Yale University Press, 2024).
His current research examines how technological infrastructures, cities, and urbanisation shape international order and great power competition. His work bridges international relations theory, political economy, science and technology studies, and urban studies.
Current work focuses on geopolitical competition between the United States and China over AI, clean energy, and the infrastructures of technological diffusion. It explores how states compete not only through technological innovation, but through building the infrastructures that enable those technologies to spread across societies and international systems. He is open to proposals from new doctoral candidates.
He is a WISC Global Fellow at the Development Research Institute at New York University. He was previously a Senior Fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. He holds a PhD from the London School of Economics.
His research appears in peer reviewed journals, including: Review of International Studies; Millennium: Journal of International Relations; Global Studies Quarterly; International Relations; Cambridge Review of International Affairs; Global Society; New Global Studies; RUSI Journal. He writes for general audiences in outlets such as Foreign Affairs; Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, The Conversation; Diplomatic Courier; La Vanguardia; The Word Economic Forum; The Global Parliament of Mayors.