Regionalism Old and New: Between Economy and Geopolitics
Regionalism Old and New: Between Economy and Geopolitics
Abstract Submissions Closed
RC18 Political Sociology (host committee)
Language: English
This session aims to consider various regional integration projects between states from the perspective of their ultimate purpose and meaning. Both historical and more recent examples of interstate regionalism reveal two sides of this complex social phenomenon: the economic, or developmental, aspect of mutual benefit and the political, or strategic, aspect of joint assertion against competing powers. Market rationality as a primary motif of regional integration has recently yielded in importance to the second aspect – that of regional governance, common goals, values, and the like.
New regionalism is sometimes seen as a departure from the state-centered world order toward the “post-Westphalian” system of tomorrow. While seemingly transcending state-centrism, new regionalism does not cancel two most prominent features of the Westphalian system: competition between its various parts and the anarchic environment where this competition unfolds. Now regions, rather than states, compete with each other. This competition produces new patterns of social stratification and new culture cleavages.
The purpose of the session is to explore social roles that regional integration between states plays. The papers should address such issues as:
- differences between the “classic” (European Union) and new types of regional integration organizations (RIOs);
- competition and complementarity between old and new RIOs;
- the logic of post-Westphalian development and region-based transnationality, as it affects political parties, social movements, business and policy networks;
- securitization of regional integration processes;
- and the implicit tensions between economic rationale and geopolitical reasoning behind evolving regional integration projects.
Session Organizer: