The article "Narrative Alliances: The Discursive Foundations of International Order" by Alexandra Homolar and Oliver Turner explores the role of narratives in shaping international order and cooperation. Traditional understandings of international order often overlook the importance of discourse and narrative coordination, treating it as a result of existing cooperation rather than a driver. The authors argue that narratives play a crucial role in forming and maintaining international alliances and order, which has been largely overlooked in the study of international security dynamics. The article highlights the importance of language and narrative in international organization, drawing on recent scholarship that emphasizes the power of strategic narratives in shaping state identities, security policies, and historical memory. It adopts a case-study approach, examining public statements and policy documents from various countries to understand how the rules-based order (RBO) is narrated and understood. The RBO, a contemporary concept that unites diverse beliefs about international organization, is presented as a discursive device that defines a stable distribution of power and influence. Political actors in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, India, and Japan collectively tell a compelling story about the RBO, including its age, nature, purpose, and sources of vulnerability. This narrative alliance equips political actors with a shared geopolitical gaze and establishes imperatives to act in defense of particular visions of international order. The authors argue that the RBO narrative is flexible and adaptable, allowing it to accommodate different national perspectives and interests. It serves as a means to rally support for the western-led international order, while also providing a framework for counter-hegemonic discourses that challenge the universality of western norms. The RBO narrative is used to create a sense of belonging and exclusion, fostering cohesion within and across groups. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding narrative alliances in the dynamics and implications of international discursive alignment, particularly in the context of traditional security arrangements. It suggests that the RBO narrative is a powerful tool for shaping international dynamics and that its flexibility allows for both support and critique of the prevailing order.The article "Narrative Alliances: The Discursive Foundations of International Order" by Alexandra Homolar and Oliver Turner explores the role of narratives in shaping international order and cooperation. Traditional understandings of international order often overlook the importance of discourse and narrative coordination, treating it as a result of existing cooperation rather than a driver. The authors argue that narratives play a crucial role in forming and maintaining international alliances and order, which has been largely overlooked in the study of international security dynamics. The article highlights the importance of language and narrative in international organization, drawing on recent scholarship that emphasizes the power of strategic narratives in shaping state identities, security policies, and historical memory. It adopts a case-study approach, examining public statements and policy documents from various countries to understand how the rules-based order (RBO) is narrated and understood. The RBO, a contemporary concept that unites diverse beliefs about international organization, is presented as a discursive device that defines a stable distribution of power and influence. Political actors in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, India, and Japan collectively tell a compelling story about the RBO, including its age, nature, purpose, and sources of vulnerability. This narrative alliance equips political actors with a shared geopolitical gaze and establishes imperatives to act in defense of particular visions of international order. The authors argue that the RBO narrative is flexible and adaptable, allowing it to accommodate different national perspectives and interests. It serves as a means to rally support for the western-led international order, while also providing a framework for counter-hegemonic discourses that challenge the universality of western norms. The RBO narrative is used to create a sense of belonging and exclusion, fostering cohesion within and across groups. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding narrative alliances in the dynamics and implications of international discursive alignment, particularly in the context of traditional security arrangements. It suggests that the RBO narrative is a powerful tool for shaping international dynamics and that its flexibility allows for both support and critique of the prevailing order.