Group Report 2: Asian Regionalism

Question 1

____ is the expansion and intensification of social relations and consciousness across world-time and world-space (Manfred Steger, 2013).
It refers to how trade and technology have widened connections between people and increased interdependence throughout the world.

Answer 1

Globalization

Question 2

____ conveys the sense of intentional, top-down region-building-involving inter-governmental collaboration.

Answer 2

Regionalism

Question 3

According to He and Inoguchi (2011), ____ is inspirational and revolutionary involving the reorganization of political, economic, cultural, and social lives along the lines of an imagined region rather than according to the standard political unit of the nation-state.

Answer 3

Regionalism

Question 4

____ is defined as a political will to create a formal arrangement among states on a geographically restricted basis.

Answer 4

Regionalism

Question 5

What are the main participants of regionalism?

Answer 5

Governmnents

Question 6

____ refers to the growing density of interaction and cooperation between neighboring countries. It is defined as an increase in the cross-border flow of capital, goods, and people within a specific geographical area.

Answer 6

Regionalization

Question 7

T or F. Regionalization develops from the bottom up through societally driven processes coming from markets, private trade, and investment flows, none of which is strictly controlled by governments.

Answer 7

True

Question 8

Who are the key players in the idea of Regionalization?

Answer 8

Non-governmental Actors such as Firms or Individuals

Question 9

Regionalization can also be called a ____.

Answer 9

Spontaneous, Bottom-up Process

Question 10

____ are a group of countries located in the same geographically specified area.
They are an amalgamation of two regions or a combination of more than two regions organized to regulate and oversee flows and policy choices.

Answer 10

Regions

Question 11

____ refers to the regional concentration of economic flows.

Answer 11

Regionalization

Question 12

____ is a political process characterized by economic policy cooperation and coordination among countries.

Answer 12

Regionalism

Question 13

What is the difference between the terms Regionalization and Regionalism?

Answer 13

Regionalization refers to the process by which different countries or areas are grouped together into larger regional blocs based on shared economic, political, or cultural characteristics. This process can occur organically, as countries with similar interests and characteristics begin to form cooperative relationships, or it can be driven by external factors such as international trade agreements or geopolitical considerations.

Regionalism, on the other hand, refers to the ideological or political movement that seeks to promote the interests of a particular region or regional identity. This movement may be driven by a desire for greater autonomy or self-determination, or by a shared sense of cultural, historical, or linguistic identity.

Question 14

What is one [1] reason why countries form regional associations?

Answer 14

1. Military Defense
   The most widely known defense grouping is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) formed during the Cold War when several Western European countries plus the United States agreed to protect Europe against the threat of the Soviet Union.

Question 15

Why do countries form regional organizations?

Answer 15

To pool their resources, get better returns for their exports, and expand their leverage against trading partners.

Question 16

Why do countries form regional blocs?

Answer 16

To protect their independence from the pressures of superpower politics.

Question 17

____ refers to regional integration or cooperation initiatives that are not led or dominated by governments or states, but rather by non-state actors such as civil society organizations, private sector entities, or academic institutions.

Answer 17

Non-state Regionalism

Question 18

What is the difference between State and Non-state Regionalism?

Answer 18

State regionalism refers to regional integration or cooperation initiatives that are led or dominated by governments or states. In state regionalism, member states negotiate and agree on common rules, policies, and institutions to promote economic, political, or security cooperation.

Non-state regionalism, on the other hand, refers to regional integration or cooperation initiatives that are driven by non-state actors such as civil society organizations, private sector entities, or academic institutions. Non-state regionalism can take various forms, such as cross-border networks, social movements, business associations, or academic consortia, and can focus on a wide range of issues, including trade, investment, environment, human rights, or cultural exchange.

Question 19

What are the challenges that Non-state Regionalism could face?

Answer 19

1. Funding. Unlike state-led initiatives, they may not have access to public funds or institutional support and may rely on voluntary contributions from donors or members.
2. Coordination. This can create confusion and duplication of efforts and may limit the effectiveness of regional cooperation in addressing common challenges.
3. Legitimacy. Non-state regionalism initiatives may lack legitimacy and democratic accountability, as they are not directly accountable to citizens or subject to democratic checks and balances. This can lead to questions about their representativeness and mandate, and may hinder their effectiveness in achieving their objectives.

Question 20

T or F. Regionalism faces multiple challenges and the most serious of which is the resurgence of militant nationalism and populism.

Answer 20

True

Question 21

What are the benefits that Asia gets from Regionalism? [7]

Answer 21

1. Links the competitive strengths of its diverse economies to boost their productivity and sustain the region’s exceptional growth;
2. Connects the region’s capital markets to enhance financial stability, reduce the cost of capital, and improve opportunities for sharing risks;
3. Cooperates in setting exchange rates and macroeconomic policies to minimize the effects of global and regional shocks and to facilitate the resolution of global imbalances;
4. Pools the region’s foreign exchange reserves to make more resources available for investment and development;
5. Exercises leadership in global decision-making to sustain the open global trade and financial systems that have supported a half-century of unparalleled economic development;
6. Builds connected infrastructure and collaborate on
   inclusive development to reduce inequalities within and across economies and thus strengthen support for pro-growth policies; and
7. Create regional mechanisms to manage cross-border health, safety, and environmental issues better.

Question 22

What are the factors that help lead to greater integration of the Asian region? [3]

Answer 22

1. Trade
2. Similar Culture
3. Common Goods

Question 23

Is Asian Regionalism good or bad?

Answer 23

On the one hand, Asian regionalism has contributed to promoting economic growth, trade liberalization, and regional integration, as seen in the case of ASEAN’s efforts to create a single market and production base, or APEC’s commitment to free and open trade and investment. Regional cooperation has also helped to address common challenges, such as natural disasters, transnational crime, and terrorism, and has facilitated dialogue and cooperation among diverse actors in the region.

On the other hand, Asian regionalism has also faced various challenges and criticisms. Some scholars argue that it has been driven by power politics and rivalry among major powers, and has not always been inclusive or equitable in terms of representing diverse interests and perspectives. Others point to the limited effectiveness of regional institutions in addressing complex regional issues, and the lack of democratic accountability and transparency in decision-making.

In general, whether Asian regionalism is good or bad depends on how it is designed, implemented, and evaluated. Regional integration and cooperation initiatives that are based on inclusive, participatory, and transparent processes, and that address diverse economic, social, and environmental challenges, are more likely to be beneficial for the region and its people.

Question 24

What is the difference between Globalization and Regionalization?

Answer 24

Globalization refers to the increasing interconnectedness and interdependence of the world’s economies, societies, and cultures. It involves the free flow of goods, services, capital, and people across national borders, as well as the spread of technology, ideas, and cultural values. Globalization is a broad, global process that affects the entire world, including regional economies and societies.

Regionalization, on the other hand, refers to the process of cooperation and integration within a specific geographic region. It involves the creation of regional institutions and frameworks that promote economic, political, and social integration among the countries of the region. Regionalization can be seen as a subset of globalization, as it is a more localized process that occurs within a specific region.

The main difference between globalization and regionalization is the scale of their impact. Globalization is a global phenomenon that affects all regions of the world, while regionalization is a more localized process that occurs within a specific region. While both processes can lead to increased economic, political, and social integration, they operate on different scales and have different impacts on the regions and countries involved.