Issue 1

June 2026

American Power

Narratives of US decline are coinciding with explosive expressions of US dominance. Are we witnessing the transition between hegemons? The official dawn of multipolarity? Or force and hubris continuous with the Cold War and the unipolar moment?

The first issue of Phenomenal World features thirteen essays and interviews on American power.

Politics and economics in American “declinism”

Examining the anatomy of US power

In the Crosshairs

Iranian resilience in the face of US-Israeli assault

The recolonization of Venezuela

Brazil claims its role in a multilateral order

Balance of Powers

Prospects for South–South development without dependency

China’s class politics after 1989

A look at the world’s largest military industries

Currency primacy in historical perspective

New Orders?

The Arab monarchies turn to Silicon Valley

Imperialism and anti-imperialism in Nuestra América

Brazil’s leading diplomat on navigating global instability