Whose Polycrisis? Navigating a Eurocentric Trap

Abstract

The concept of polycrisis has gained considerable prominence in recent years as a way of describing the convergence of climate change, geopolitical tensions, economic instability, and global health emergencies. While originally introduced by Edgar Morin and later popularized by Adam Tooze, contemporary usage of the term often reflects a Eurocentric framing that foregrounds Western experiences of crisis. This paper critically examines the polycrisis narrative and argues that it inadequately accounts for the longstanding, structurally embedded crises faced by the Global South. Through case studies of the WTO Doha Round collapse, the Copenhagen climate negotiations, and the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the paper illustrates how global governance systems reinforce asymmetries of power and disproportionately burden developing countries. The analysis demonstrates that what is framed as a “new” global polycrisis in Western discourse has long been a lived reality in the South, shaped by colonial histories, unequal trade regimes, and inequitable access to health and climate resources. By highlighting these epistemic biases, the paper calls for a more inclusive, historically grounded, and justice-oriented understanding of global crises—one that foregrounds Southern perspectives and challenges the reproduction of Western-centric worldviews in policy and academic debates. Overall, the study argues that unless polycrisis discourse meaningfully incorporates Global South experiences, it risks reinforcing the very inequalities it seeks to explain.