Given the current conditions of rising problems and phenomena that are shared on a global scale and cannot be solved through inter-state relations alone, this research group will perform cross-sectoral research on the dynamic evolution processes of problems and phenomena. While identifying the impacts on the individual foundations of society, we will seek a global problem-solving approach and possibilities for creating a global commons.

Global society of the 21^st century is affected by global factors that exceed the frameworks of nation states, from the daily living environment, economic activities, and information to thoughts and beliefs. The scope of such risks that are shared beyond national borders, which include environmental pollution, epidemics, food, and terrorism, has broadened remarkably. Just as with the benefits, these risks easily cross national borders and increase worldwide through the dissemination of goods, money, labor, and information accompanying global economic activities. These global risks are not resolved by state actors employing individual countermeasures, so establishment of a new global approach that goes beyond conventional international relationships with state actors as the units can be considered an urgent task.

Based on the combined results of debates on certain sets of norms versus differing norms of sovereign states and democracy that have taken center stage in modern international politics, which have gone as far as to feature "clash of civilizations," broad networks at the citizen level have arisen proposing new norms. This group's research will consider how such networks, in place of state actors, might deal with global risks, including the possibility of creating a global commons, while touching on economic globalization and the development of information technology networks.

Seiichi Igarashi, Representative, Research Group B03