The age of Western hegemony is over. Whether or not America itself is declining, the post-war liberal world order underpinned by US military, economic and ideological primacy and supported by global institutions serving its power and purpose, is coming to an end. But what will take its place? A Chinese world order? A re-constituted form of American hegemony? A regionalized system of global cooperation, including major and emerging powers?
In this timely and provocative book, Amitav Acharya offers an incisive answer to this fundamental question. While the US will remain a major force in world affairs, he argues that it has lost the ability to shape world order after its own interests and image. As a result, the US will be one of a number of anchors including emerging powers, regional forces, and a concert of the old and new powers shaping a new world order. Rejecting labels such as multipolar, apolar, or G-Zero, Acharya likens the emerging system to a multiplex theatre, offering a choice of plots (ideas), directors (power), and action (leadership) under one roof. Finally, he reflects on the policies that the US, emerging powers and regional actors must pursue to promote stability in this decentred but interdependent, multiplex world.

Written by a leading scholar of the international relations of the non-Western world, and rising above partisan punditry, this book represents a major contribution to debates over the post-American era.

西方霸权的时代已经结束。无论美国本身是否衰落，以美国军事、经济和意识形态优势为基础，并由为其权力和目的服务的全球机构支持的战后自由主义世界秩序即将结束。但什么将取代它？一个中国的世界秩序？一个重新构建的美国霸权形式？一个区域化的全球合作体系，包括主要国家和新兴国家？

在这本及时且具有煽动性的书中，阿米塔夫-阿查里亚对这一基本问题提供了一个精辟的答案。虽然美国仍将是世界事务中的主要力量，但他认为美国已经失去了按照自己的利益和形象塑造世界秩序的能力。因此，美国将成为包括新兴大国、地区力量和新老大国共同塑造的世界新秩序在内的众多支柱之一。阿查里亚拒绝了多极、非极或G-Zero等标签，他把这个新兴体系比作一个多厅剧院，在一个屋檐下提供剧情（思想）、导演（权力）和行动（领导）的选择。最后，他反思了美国、新兴大国和区域行为体必须采取的政策，以促进这个体面但相互依赖的多元世界的稳定。

本书由一位研究非西方世界国际关系的领先学者撰写，并超越了党派争论，是对后美国时代辩论的重大贡献。