Barack Obama, a new perspective. A new hegemony?

“Change is coming”. The idea that the election of this dynamic, highly charismatic, and profoundly intelligent man as the 44th President of the United States of America offers a rupture with the disillusionment of the Bush Jr. Era is oft cited.The necessity of this rupture cannot be stressed strongly enough.

Obama faces a plethora of challenges right across the social spectrum. Challenges compounded by the seemigly ever deeping recession, indeed it was recently declared that 533.000 jobs were shed in America in November alone bringing the current unemployment figure to 6.7%, a 15 year high . However the challenges awaiting Obama extend beyond the boundaries of his country. Obama in order to effectively combat the recession must get the world back on America's side.

The allure of the american way of life, the land of opportunity and freedom were key factors in consolidating the US's role as a super and then hyperpower. It has not only attracted gifted students from all over the world to study on its ivied campuses, and immigrant workers who fuel its economy, but also created a pro-american sentiment which has consequently inspired pro or at least neutral policies towards the US. This “soft-power” engendered by the US way of life however has been polluted and strucrally undermined by the comedy of PR errors committed by the Bush regime. The perception of America as the land of the free has been replaced by images of Guantanamo and hooded rendition suspects being bundled onto military transport across the “free world”. America the land of liberal democracy and noble idealists like Woodrow Wilson has been usurped by the aggresive world vision of the neo-cons and the US invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. The result, the collapse or continued glaciation of relations between the US and countries around the world, the conflict with Iran being one prominent example the rift within the western world on the Iraq war another. Images of the Stars and Stripes being burned in streets across the world from the middle east to Asia, and central and south America and even in the streets of European capitals have become increasingly common. Populations disillusioned with what they perceive as an American imperialism have pushed governments to oppose America across international institutions such as the UN and in the international press. Chavez in Venezuela, an increasingly hostile government under Yousaf Raza Gillani in Pakistan, and a vitriolic anti-american discourse in the Middle East are just some of the symptoms of this failure.

Barack Hussein Obama offers a new horizon in US international relations. He represents change and rupture with the previous regime to such an extent that Fidel Castro (yes, the staunchly anti-american, communist dictator) declared in his most recent press release that "a conversation can be held wherever he (Obama) wants,". While this may in part have been motivated by the health of both the ailing Castro and that of his country it does not take away from the fact that Obama offers a juncture, an opportunity to countries ostracised by the Bush regime to reintegrate themselves into the international community. A community with America at its fore. The reintegration of countries into this “American order” offers a much needed support in light of the financial crises which has challenged the economic liberalism one of the tenets along with liberal democracy of the American led order.

By the very fact that he himself embodies the concept of America as the land of opportunity. That he has declared his willingness to talk to countries which to this point have been shunned, and that he represents hope for change Obama may well suceed in renewing a positive conception of America in the rest of the world. The healing however will have to wait until he takes office on the January the 20th. America's image eagerly awaits its rehabilitation.