5. Regional Organizations & Global Governance Flashcards
what is a region
(1) regions are territories within a state, occasionally crossing state borders.
(2), regions are particular areas of the world, comprising a number of different sovereign states.
(3) nongeographic criteria (such as language; ideology, culture, geopolitics, or level of economic development)
def regionalisation
Process of economic integration, driven by the market rather than by governments
-> Economic and social interdependence between countries in a region, driven by markets, businesses, and informal networks.
EX: The growth of supply chain networks in East Asia, where companies in Japan, South Korea, and China engage in trade and investment without formal agreements.
def regionalism
State-led projects of cooperation and coordination, built through intergovernmental dialogues, treaties and institutions (e.g. PTAs:trade pact between countries that reduces tariffs or other trade barriers for certain products, ROs)
-> Political efforts by governments to create formal institutions and agreements for regional cooperation and integration.
EX: MERCOSUR
def Regional Integration
Social transformation marked by lowering of internal boundaries, raising of external boundaries, increased flows of people, goods, capital, etc., and transfer of sovereignty to supranational authority
def ROs
Regional Organisations (ROs): formal and institutionalized cooperative relations among states or sub-state units of different countries and constitute regionalism. Restrictive membership
what is the scope of ROs
(a) task specific, such as NATO;
(b) general-multi purpose, such as ASEAN or EU
according to WTO, how much regional trade agreements were in force as of 1 May 2021
357 regional trade agreements were in force as of 1 May 2021
what is cooperation
limited arrangements that are agreed among states in order to work together in particular areas, for example in transport, energy, or health
EX/ ASEAN
what is integration?
processes by which states go beyond the removal of obstacles to interaction among their countries to create a regional space subject to some distinct common rules.
-> A higher level of institutionalized coordination where states pool sovereignty in specific areas.
EX: EU
trends of Number of existing regional organizations by region
*15 btwn 1919 and now
all rised
the more: Eu then Africa
what are the Historical Roots of Regional Organization
-Regionalism= not a new phenomenon; it dates back to ancient times.
-Historically, different political units (empires, kingdoms, trade leagues, alliances, confederations) formed geographically confined regional groupings.
-Often, these regional formations were centered around Great Powers that dominated and influenced the surrounding smaller states.
Ex: The Hanseatic League (a medieval Northern European trade alliance) and the Holy Roman Empire (a multi-regional empire in Central Europe).
Early Regionalism in Non-Western World
-LA regionalism began around the time of the Concert of Europe (regionalism)
-BUT non-Western regionalism had different goals (more progressive and emancipatory than the European system, which was focused on maintaining the balance of power).
-In Asia, Africa, and LA, regionalist movements were driven by:
.anti-colonialism,
.national liberation,
.sovereignty protection,
.resistance to big powers.
-Intellectual and political movements such as Pan-Africanism, Pan-Asianism, and Pan-Arabism emerged to unite people against colonialism and foreign dominance.
->These movements were not just led by political elites but also by intellectuals and grassroots activists.
what is Old Regionalism
(Post-WWII and Cold War Context)
-After WWII, regionalism evolved under two main influences:
.Bipolarity of the Cold War (superpower rivalry influenced regional formations).
.Post-colonialism (newly independent states sought regional cooperation for economic development and nation-building).
-In Europe, regional integration developed beyond the nation-state (e.g., the European Coal and Steel Community, leading to the EU).
-In the developing world, regionalism was state-led and focused on economic development, regional cooperation, and nation-building rather than deep political integration.
Ex: The Organization of African Unity (OAU) (now the African Union) was created in 1963 to promote decolonization, economic growth, and regional solidarity in Africa.
what are the key differences between European and Developing World Regionalism (old regionalism-> post-WWII
Main Goal: Economic & political integration vS Economic development & nation-building
Scope: Beyond nation-states vS Strengthening nation-states
explain Expanding Scope of Cooperation as a key feature and development of new regionalism
-Beyond just economics: incorporates social, cultural, political, legal, security, and migration issues alongside trade and economic integration.
->More comprehensive than old regionalism, which focused mainly on trade and economic cooperation
The number of regional organizations (ROs) has increased due to (new regionalism)
-Globalization and transnational interdependence, which make regional cooperation more necessary.
-Concerns over the multilateral trading system, such as WTO inefficiencies, prompting states to form regional trade agreements.
what are the key caracteristics of new regionalism
-Deeper economic integration + political cooperation
-Multilevel governance: sp in Europe, where regional institutions share authority with national governments.
-Stronger international legal frameworks to regulate cooperation and dispute resolution.
-Involvement of non-state actors, including businesses, civil society groups, and even individuals (unlike Old Regionalism, which was state-centric).
explain inter-regionalism on the rise
More institutionalized relations between regions, often led by the EU, such as:
Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM)
African Union-European Union Summits
Inter-Regional Association Agreements
what is the impact of global power shift for ROs
The rise of China, India, Brazil, and other emerging powers is reshaping regionalism, leading to both:
-Strengthening of regional institutions (e.g., China’s role in ASEAN+ frameworks).
-Potential undermining as rising powers pursue independent strategies.
explain regionalism’s expanding mission
ROs are now tackling transnational challenges that were not priorities before, including:
Climate change
Financial crises
Pandemics
Natural disasters
what are regionalism’s core activities across the world?
Africa: More willing to consider humanitarian intervention (e.g., AU’s Peace and Security Council can authorize interventions).
Latin America: Emphasis on democracy protection, although effectiveness varies.
Asia: Faster development of regional financial stability mechanisms (e.g., Chiang Mai Initiative).
Middle East: Lags behind other regions in institutionalized regionalism.
what is the main debate abt ROs + give the arguments
Are Regional Organizations (ROs) Just Tools for Great Power Politics?
There is debate over whether ROs genuinely foster regional cooperation or if they are merely instruments for powerful states.
-> Arguments Supporting the “Facade for Great Power Politics” View:
-Many ROs are driven by local hegemons (e.g., the U.S. in NAFTA/USMCA, Russia in the EAEU, China in RCEP).
-Large states often use ROs to gain legitimacy for their policies and extend influence (e.g., Russia in the CSTO).
-Some ROs have failed to resolve conflicts, questioning their effectiveness (e.g., the OSCE Minsk Group’s inability to prevent war in Nagorno-Karabakh).
-> Counterarguments:
-The rise of ROs and lower state boundaries could indicate the decline of traditional Great Power politics by fostering multilateral cooperation.
-ROs can empower smaller states, providing them with a bigger voice in international affairs.
-Some ROs exist without a dominant Great Power, contradicting the claim that all ROs are hegemon-driven (e.g., Pacific Islands Forum).
what is EU a unique case: key features and why it defies traditional classement
combines political and economic integration
-> Key Features:
-Internal market with free movement of people, goods, services, and capital.
-Harmonized laws and regulations across member states.
-Multilevel governance, with institutions like the European Commission, European Parliament, and European Court of Justice.
-> Defies traditional classification:
A regional state? A federal state? A post-Westphalian entity that challenges traditional sovereignty?
Although the EU is often the starting point for regionalism studies, it is not the only model, and other regions follow different paths.
what are the post-soviet ROs
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, new ROs emerged, largely influenced by Russia.
- Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) (1991 - present):
-Created by all former Soviet republics except the Baltic states.
-Loose cooperation framework; not very effective. - Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) (2015 - present):
-A customs union aiming for deeper economic integration among Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
-Often seen as Russia’s attempt to maintain influence in post-Soviet space. - Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) (1992, formalized in 2002):
-Military alliance including Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
-Claims to promote regional security but is often seen as Moscow’s security instrument.
