Robert Axelrod
Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Michigan
At the “New World Order” conference, co-hosted in Paris by Sciences Po and the Boris Mints Institute at Tel Aviv University from 25th-26th January 2023 we brought leading minds together to discuss strategic responses to global challenges.
The conference focused on four core topics:
- The Russia-Ukraine war
- The Middle East
- The world’s political and economic institutions
- The future cyber world – including issues around digital
governance and the role of AI in our political systems.
The first two of these examined the heart of the issues, while the others explored where answers may be found. The conference summoned the best minds in the world and the most renowned
experts in the fields to provide their insights and explore possible solutions for discussion.
At The Boris Mints Institute, we believe that there are indeed solutions to global problems, and that innovative ideas can propel us to a brighter future. In 2017, this led us to launch the Boris Mints
Institute Prize, which annually rewards and recognises outstanding thinkers who are developing global solutions for society’s greatest challenges.
At the conference, we were honoured to award Robert Axelrod, Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Michigan, with the prestigious 2022 Boris Mints
Institute Prize, for his ground-breaking work in applying game theory to conflict resolution.
In his research, which examined the Prisoner’s Dilemma, Axelrod discovered that cooperative choices and beneficial behaviours, with punishments in place for those that do not adhere to such, is the best way to manage conflicts. He has applied his academic findings to modern conflicts, including working with the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in the former Yugoslavia, sitting down with professionals from all sides. Axelrod has also discussed his ideas with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and published his research in the prestigious publication, Science, as well as Harvard’s own Negotiation Journal.
The value of Axelrod’s research and policy engagement on conflict resolution has previously been recognized by the National Academy of Sciences (USA), with their award for Contributions of Behavioural and Social Science to the Prevention of Nuclear War, and by President Obama, from whom Axelrod received the National Medal of Science.
We began the conference with talk about the threats towards the world order facing us. But we ended the conference recognising that, with the brightest minds and the best implementation, the challenges facing our planet today could be overcome tomorrow. While ignoring such challenges could be devastating for humanity as a whole, solutions are possible.
And that can give us the greatest asset of all: Hope.
You can view the conference below: