This book takes the simple premise of trying to understand the geopolitics of nations within the "global south" by taking their perspective seriously. From there, the main thesis as I understand it is roughly:
our world looks to be multipolar for the foreseeable future. In such a world, a mix of shared interests is more central than harsh (and historically inconsistently applied) principles. At the same time, the shared interest between both European and small and mid sized nations in the global south is a strengthening and democratization of international organizations such as the IMF and the world bank, with the aim to bring these more in line with UN principles that give more rights to smaller nations in particular.
I'm not sure I agree with everything, but it's a fantastic read with well-rounded arguments.
