Regional Studies

Regionalism:

- an aim is always needed

- if force is used (e.g., Greek Empire) then it is not a region, it is imperialism
- for a region to exist all has to be equal – hypothetically
→ unity; if the gap is too big then it cannot function
- before 20th century regionalism was non-existent
- after the second part of the 20 th century the shock of WWI led to the creation of
regions

Case Study 1: East Asia Summit

Case Study 2: EU expansion to Turkey

- https://www.e-ir.info/2022/05/21/regionalism-and-the-european-union/
- https://youtu.be/phTfg_PrlZM?si=vhIfuLbtNk5JHKLQ

Functional ‘Region’:

Economic integration:

- the region naturally develops itself

- some regions cannot merge e.g., Croatian-Hungarian river symbolizes the cultural and
language barriers
- short supply chain: local goods
- to create an economic region countries have to be in the same “team” (EU)

Security complex:

- the US is promoting democracy for economic reasons: in trade democracies are more
trustworthy because real democracies have never attacked each other before
- guarantees of peace and security: no war, IT security, environmental security
- same trust and protection can make a region
- if a government cannot control the whole country, then a region can form within a
country, e.g., to solve security concerns

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Functional relations:

- environmental threats create new mutual interests, e.g., drought, floods etc.
- transnationalism deepens the integration
- functional definition:
o regionalism is the function
o function is the minimum for a working region
o BRICS: economic, security cooperation
- cognitive definition:
o non-economic cooperation, e.g., identity; minorities
o perception of a region, e.g., Europe → European identity

Intergovernmentalism:

- allows states to cooperate in specific fields while retaining their sovereignty

- in contrast to supranational bodies in which authority is formally delegated, in
intergovernmental organizations states do not share the power with other actors, and
take decisions by unanimity, e.g., EU Council of Ministers

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 - there is no single term to describe regionalisation
→ because the sovereignty of the states must be kept (not United States of Europe but
European Union)
- after a certain point integration cannot go deeper
- states only allow/ratify EU laws if they want → keeping their decision making
sovereignty
- MSs delegate 3% of their national sovereignty to the EU (some even believe this is too
much)
- integration only started in the 50’s
- EU cannot be considered a superpower because it’s missing military power
- NAFTA; cannot be compared to EU
- BRICS
→ missing institutionalisation (common parliament)

Distinction between cooperation and integration:

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 - cooperation is temporary common interest, once the goal is reached it ends
- time is important, how long the participants work together
- integration include harmonization of functions; accepting a common set of features
- if political cooperation includes a change in it’s political system then it becomes an
integration
- integration and cooperation can happen at the same time

Regionalism in Asia:

- cooperation for economic and security reasons

- factors that influence a cooperation: is there enough security, stability to invest in that
country?

Three waves of regionalism in Asia:

1. 1950-60s: years of the creations of the nations

2. 1980-90s: shifting world, IT producers: Japan, South Korea, Taiwan
3. 2000s-?: ran out of integration options in the region → global
- before the World Wars there was no sign of regionalism in Asia
- development is hard and slow, failing in the beginning
- flying geese pattern: It is a theory of global economic development, in which a leading
nation, Japan or the U.S., is compared to a lead goose, followed by a flock of
developing-nation geese. The geese that trail behind eventually catch up with where
the lead goose was, but by that time the lead goose has moved on.
- instead of region → integration (BRICS)
- through time the level of cooperation increases:
o in the beginning a lot of development, but in the 3rd (4th) wave it slows down
- South East Asian Trade Union, ASEAN, Mercosur, Asia Pacific Trade Agreement
- cross regional networks (4th wave): B2B version of regionalism, e.g., BRICS
- bilateralism → coalition → regionalism → mega-regionalism
→ both in the economic and security spheres
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Evolution of regional integration:

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 - tariff union → FTA → Common Market → Economic Union → State integration: not
happening nowadays because it questions the whole global order
- possible major conflicts in Asia

Economic integration:

- common interest ≠ common identity

- cause or effect
- did these cooperations create a common identity?
- promise to the future: if there is profit
→ both statements (on the ppt) are true
- economy is the engine behind all integration
- states want to benefit, make profit and developments
→ European Economic Integration created a bridge between France and Germany →
mutual interests
- can be seen as a peacemaker
- level of integration is important to look at
- integration ≠ cooperation
↓
more than a cooperation (shared identity, closeness, values)
- European Union → because it’s not too strong, doesn’t overwrite a nation state’s
identity
- states form economic blocs because it provides protection against globalisation
(membership of a regional bloc does provide at least some level of political influence,
have their voice heard) and for the benefits of free trade areas (access to a larger
market, enable the free flow of capital and labour)

Levels of economic integration:

Trading block: groups of countries (3+) with free trade area, customs union, common
market, or economic union

- free trade area: MSs can enjoy the right to trade

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 - customs union: no customs, same tax, only outside countries pay customs →
competitiveness; services and goods with harmonised background, common trade
policy
- common market: has an external common policy as well, mobility of factors and
production, close monetary, fiscal and employment policies
- economic union: economic policies on several fields, harmonisation, common
currency

The existence of free trade areas, customs unions and common markets on a regional basis
fosters trade amongst its members rather than with non-members. Regional integration also
enables those organisations to place restrictions on those states outside of the organisation.

- arguments: import price harmonisation is lacking, competition, benefits of regionalism

and nationalism → mostly political reasons
- we’re at the top of integration

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Regionalism: The expression of a shared identity and purpose. It is combined with the
creation and implementation of institutions that manifest regional identity and shape activity
within that particular region. There are a wide number of regional organisations to consider
with varying levels of integration. For instance, the depth of integration within the Arab
League or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is considerably weaker than
the EU. Regionalism is the process through which larger geographical or even continental
areas emerge as political organisations through integrated international institutions.

Old and new regionalism: With the term 'old regionalism', we refer to the attempts at
regionalisation and region building occured mainly in Europe from the aftermath of the
Second World War to the end of the Cold War. This first phase of the phenomenon was deeply
driven by the fear of new escalating tensions in Europe and the rise of the two super powers -
US and USRR. With the end of the Cold War, instead, a new phase began and numerous
regional international organisations were created. This time, what brought countries together
was more the pression of globalisation and global economy than security issues.

East Asia Summit: The East Asia Summit (EAS) is the Indo-Pacific's premier forum for
strategic dialogue. It is the only leader-led forum at which all key Indo-Pacific partners meet
to discuss political, security and economic challenges facing the region, and has an important
role to play in advancing closer regional cooperation. The EAS has 18 members - the ten
ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) along with Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the
Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States. ASEAN leads the forum, and the chair
position rotates between ASEAN Member States annually.

ASEAN: A political and economic alliance of 10 countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia,

Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam), in order to secure
the region against the threat of communism and to give South-East Asia a cohesive voice on
Cold War issues. Now it focuses on international trade, border security and collaboration with
neighbouring countries like China and South Korea. The issue of South China Sea has
jeopardized diplomatic relations between MSs, as many are heavily influenced by China.

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Mercosur: Mercosur is an economic and political bloc consisting of Argentina, Brazil,
Paraguay, and Uruguay. Venezuela was suspended indefinitely in 2016. Founded in 1991 to
create a common market, spur development, and bolster democracy, Mercosur saw early
successes, including a tenfold increase in trade within the bloc in its first decade. While
Mercosur has signed trade deals with several countries, bigger deals, including with the
United States, China, and the European Union, remain elusive.

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BRICS: The bloc was founded as an informal club in 2009 to provide a platform for its
members to challenge a world order dominated by the United States and its Western allies. Its
creation was initiated by Russia. The group is not a formal multilateral organisation like the
United Nations, World Bank or the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries
(OPEC). Apart from geopolitics, the group's focus includes economic cooperation and
increasing multilateral trade and development.

https://www.reuters.com/world/what-is-brics-who-are-its-members-2023-08-21/