Chapter 10: When Aliens Land – Global Governance and International Cooperation

10.1: Case Study – Arrival (2016)

Global challenges rarely come with easy solutions, and when the stakes involve the survival of humanity, the complexities multiply. Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival (2016) invites audiences to grapple with such high-stakes scenarios through a captivating story of Earth’s first contact with extraterrestrial life. When 12 alien spacecraft mysteriously appear at locations around the globe, world governments are thrown into a frenzy of investigation and response. Linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is recruited by the U.S. military to decipher the aliens’ intricate, non-linear language, working alongside physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner). As Louise begins to piece together their form of communication, she uncovers a revolutionary way of perceiving time that challenges human understanding of causality and free will. Meanwhile, growing mistrust among nations threatens to spark a global conflict, as countries race to act independently rather than collaboratively. Through its powerful narrative, Arrival underscores the importance of communication, empathy, and global cooperation to overcome fear, mistrust, and the risks of unilateral action in the face of shared challenges. Check out the clip below to see the first time the Americans interacted with the alien heptapods.

When the alien spacecraft land across the globe, humanity is presented with a problem no single nation can solve on its own. Initially, countries take steps to cooperate, sharing intelligence, scientific expertise, and resources in an attempt to decode the aliens’ language and intentions. This mirrors real-world multilateral efforts such as the Paris Climate Agreement, where nations recognize the need to join forces to combat a threat that transcends borders. Yet, as the stakes rise and uncertainty grows, mistrust and fear creep into the process. In Arrival, this breakdown in collaboration leads to nations withholding information from one another, prioritizing their own security over collective progress. The result is a near-catastrophe, as China and Russia prepare for a military response to the perceived alien threat. This dynamic reflects patterns frequently seen in international relations, such as during the Cold War, when mutual suspicion between the United States and the Soviet Union undermined global cooperation despite shared interests in avoiding nuclear annihilation. Arrival poignantly demonstrates that while global challenges demand collective action, achieving and sustaining such collaboration hinges on building trust, maintaining transparency, and ensuring that all parties feel their interests are fairly represented.

Some crises are simply too vast to be contained by borders. The alien visitation in Arrival offers a vivid metaphor for the interconnected challenges humanity faces in the real world, such as climate change, pandemics, and international terrorism. These transnational challenges do not respect national boundaries and require a united response from the global community. In the film, the alien presence is an immediate, shared threat, and countries initially recognize the need to work together to understand the situation. However, miscommunication and misinterpretation of the aliens’ message soon sow division, as individual nations begin to prioritize their own security and agendas over the collective good. This tension echoes real-world examples like the COVID-19 pandemic, where global cooperation was critical but often hampered by competition for resources, vaccine hoarding, and nationalist priorities. The fragmented response exposed weaknesses in global governance and highlighted the difficulty of balancing national interests with collective goals. Through its narrative, Arrival reminds us that while shared threats may create an initial impetus for cooperation, sustaining such efforts requires inclusive systems that promote mutual accountability, open communication, and equitable distribution of both risks and benefits.

In moments of crisis, the clock is ticking, and governments must act quickly. Arrival captures the urgency and chaos that define humanity’s response to an unexpected global emergency, or crisis management. With little time to deliberate, nations rush to interpret the aliens’ intentions, and tensions rise as each country begins to develop its own strategy. Louise Banks’ central role in deciphering the aliens’ language illustrates the profound importance of communication during crises. Her eventual success in unlocking the aliens’ message—“offer weapon,” which she interprets as “offer tool”—prevents the outbreak of a catastrophic war. This storyline serves as a metaphor for the power of diplomacy and negotiation in international relations. Real-world examples further illustrate this concept. Following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the United Nations led efforts to coordinate disaster relief across dozens of countries, successfully mobilizing aid and preventing further loss of life. Similarly, NATO’s interventions in regional conflicts, such as in the Balkans, showcase how international organizations can provide rapid, coordinated responses to crises when member states act collaboratively. Arrival demonstrates that in global emergencies, successful outcomes depend not only on swift technical or military solutions but also on the ability to foster trust, share information, and pursue collective action with purpose and clarity.

While Arrival is a work of fiction, its exploration of international dynamics offers profound insights into the challenges and possibilities of global governance. The film reveals both the potential of collective action and the fragility of cooperation when fear and mistrust dominate. It illustrates how humanity’s survival often hinges on the ability to communicate effectively, foster trust, and act as a unified global community. As we examine the roles of international organizations, regional alliances, and non-governmental organizations in the coming sections, Arrival provides a compelling reminder of the stakes involved when addressing transnational problems. Whether the issue is an alien landing, a global pandemic, or the existential threat of climate change, the lessons remain the same: trust, transparency, and sustained cooperation are the foundations for managing the world’s most urgent challenges.