It’s not (only) about Ukraine

Abstract

One Friday back in August 2008, television audiences all over the world tuned in across multiple time zones to eagerly watch the spectacular opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games. It was a perfectly choreographed and executed show designed to put China on display and show the world the spectacular grandeur upon which the country’s legacy was built. It symbolised its emergence as a rising power within the international system and as a viable contender to the hegemony of the United States. Yet, as the world’s stage was set to witness China’s debutante event, international media stations interrupted their broadcasts to bring their audiences breaking news about the movement of Russian forces into neighbouring Georgia. The events of that August afternoon back in 2008 were significant then and continue to resonate now in the midst of the current crises over the presence of Russian troops at Ukraine’s borders.