The article examines the conceptual limitations of traditional world-polarity analysis used to explain the contemporary international system. The author proposes an alternative analytical framework based on the metaphor of the Great Schism of 1054 and identifies three groups of states: the “Collective West,” “states exercising free choice,” and “non-aligned states.” It is argued that this classification more accurately reflects the institutional and ideological differentiation of the global order.

Contemporary world politics is characterized by a high degree of fragmentation and asymmetry in international interactions, as well as by the volatility of states’ foreign policy strategies. In the context of a multilayered international environment, traditional world-polarity categories are losing their explanatory power. This creates a need to develop alternative conceptual models capable of more precisely describing the dynamics of the global order. The study is relevant for political scientists, specialists in international relations, foreign policy analysts, and experts in strategic studies.