OVERVIEW
While the Westphalian world order of states faces challenges brought about by globalisation, unilateral globalisation has also revealed deficiencies that have resulted in conflicts between states and regions. Instead, regionalisation has emerged as an alternative to enhancing better governance at all levels of community, state, and region. The European model of regional integration, the European Union, has evolved considerably and has deepened the assimilation of many European states into one entity. Asia has also set about its movement towards regionalisation since the second half of 20th century and, depending on their geographical and political circumstances, sub-continental regionalisation has been formed and is moving towards closer integration.
In this lecture, Luk Van Langenhove will discuss the relations between sovereign states and regional institutions. His lecture is based on outcomes of ongoing research projects carried out by the United Nations University Institute for Comparative Regional Integration Studies. It is also a “sneak preview” of Van Langenhove’s upcoming book “Building Regions. The Regionalisation Of The World” (Ashgate, 2011).
THE ISSUES
– What is the role of states in driving the region-building process?
– What is the consequence of regional organisations transforming the Westphalian world order?
– How does the size of the states involved impact the process of regionalisation?
– What are some of the main challenges of regionalisation?
– Asian regional integration: What is its implication for Europe and the rest of the world?
SPEAKER
Prof. Dr. Luk Van Langenhove, Director of the United Nations University Institute for Comparative Regional Integration Studies.
