BRICS and the Transformation of the Global Order
Academic Approaches and Interpretations
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22098124 |
|---|---|
| Authors | A Aleshin (0000-0002-7872-3298, Institute of World Economy and International Relations, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 138-149 |
| Publication date | 2026-12-15 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Vestnik RUDN International Relations (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2313-0660 • E-ISSN: 2313-0679 |
| Publisher | Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (PUBLISHER • RU) |
| DOI | 10.22363/2313-0660-2026-26-1-138-149 |
| OpenAlex | W7150844054 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 25 |
In recent years, the BRICS group has undergone profound transformations, including the expansion of its membership, the establishment of alternative global financial institutions, and the diminishing role of the dollar in intrabloc settlements. However, this rapid evolution has also revealed pre-existing challenges and generated new constraints on multilateral cooperation among member states. Despite these obstacles, it is evident that BRICS has undoubtedly become a major driver in the ongoing transformation of the global order. As a result, forecasts regarding the association’s future, ranging from strongly optimistic to alarmist, have proliferated, while its nature and long-term objectives continue to be interpreted in diverse ways. The present study aims to identify the key themes and trends in academic literature on BRICS, and analyze how scholars conceptualize its development within the broader context of global order transformation. Using both qualitative and quantitative content analysis, the research examines peer-reviewed journal articles and monographs published between 2023 and April 2025. The findings reveal the absence of a unified scholarly perspective on BRICS’ evolution. Publications authored by researchers from non-Western countries outnumber those from Western academia. Differences in analytical approaches depend largely on the focus of research-whether it addresses individual member states or BRICS as a whole-and on the disciplinary lens, encompassing economic, political, or cultural-humanitarian dimensions. The topics attracting the greatest scholarly attention include BRICS financial and trade integration, the establishment of non-Western financial mechanisms, de-dollarization, the development of instruments for mutual settlements, and the use of new technologies to enhance economic governance. The persistent challenges experienced by the region are multifaceted, encompassing disparities in economic and political capacities, divergent national interests, bilateral tensions, and the growing difficulty of achieving consensus amid continued expansion. The most promising areas of potential lie in expanding intra-BRICS trade, strengthening non-dollar payment frameworks, and increasing the group’s influence in key sectors of the global economy such as energy, agriculture, and the extraction of strategic resources, including rare earth elements
Discipline · Emerging markets · Global Imbalances · Liberian dollar · COVID-19, Geopolitics, Technology, Migration · E-commerce and Technology Innovations · Global Political and Economic Relations
| Highly cited | No |
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