Regionalism and the EU

Case Study: African Regionalism
Case Study: Asian Regionalism
Case Study: Regionalism in the Americas
Case Study The European Political Community
Case Study Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

Debates about and the reasons and signiﬁcance of regionalism

Development of regional organisations, excluding the EU

Factors that have fostered European integration and the major developments through which this has occurred

The ways and extent to which regionalism addresses and resolves contemporary global issues

In international relations, regionalism is the expression of a common sense of identity and purpose combined with the creation and implementation of institutions that express a particular identity and shape collective action within a geographical region. Regionalism refers to the idea that nation-states in a certain geographically defined area are united by common:

■ goals

■ incentives

■ interests

■ aims

These geographically defined areas are often referred to as ‘regional blocs’.

The Development of the EU

How the EU works