The worldwide recession of 2008 changed international relations and relevant institutions. Attitudes changed markedly toward the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Sanctions put into place against Russia, Iran, and other states created further unsettling conditions. Migrants into Europe, particularly from Africa’s war-torn states, have placed European states in a difficult position regarding their acceptance of these migrants and the impact they may make on European cultures, societies, and economies. Populism and nationalism also pose their own sets of challenges, with nationalist leaders becoming more belligerent about protecting their sovereign nation-states.