Dr. Johannes Muntschick

Sem (MA/MA-EU/MEd) Regionalism and the EU

Instructors: Dr. Johannes Muntschick
Shortname: Sem EU
Course Type: Seminar

Requirements / organisational issues

Organizational issues:
- Attendance in class is obligatory
- Task assignment and presentation

Recommended reading list

• Börzel, T. A. & Risse, T. [eds.], 2016: Oxford Handbook of Comparative Regionalism. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 
• Krapohl, S. [ed.], 2016: Regional Integration in the Global South. External Influence on Economic Cooperation in ASEAN, Mercosur and SADC. Cham: Palgrave.
• Ravenhill, J., 2008: Regionalism. In: Ravenhill, J. [ed.]: Global Political Economy. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 172-210.
• Spragia, A., 2008: Review Article: Comparative Regionalism: What Might It Be? In: Journal of Common Market Studies, 46:1: 29-49.
• Söderbaum, F., 2016: Rethinking Regionalism. London: Palgrave. 
• Warleigh-Lack, A., 2015: Differentiated integration in the European Union: towards a comparative regionalism perspective. In: Journal of European Public Policy, 22:6. 871-887.

Contents

Since the end of the Cold War and in the course of an increasing globalisation, we observe a mushrooming of new and renewed regionalisms in virtually all parts of the world – particularly in the global South. There is evidence that globalisation contributes to the fact that a growing number of challenges and cooperation problems in international relations go beyond the sphere of influence of individual nation states. These challenges demand coordinated and cooperative international action in order to facilitate and achieve mutually beneficial solutions for all countries involved. This is where international institutions come into play and can make a difference. On regional level, many countries in many different parts of the world pushed regionalism and regional organisations forward in order to master these cooperation problems and engage in regional block-building to better face the challenges of globalisation. The latest wave of new regionalism gives evidence of this phenomenon in international relations.

Quite often, at least in the academic debate, the European Union (EU) is seen as political construct ‘sui generis’ that acts as natural origin and role model for global regionalism. We observe several regionalisms in other parts of the globe where countries cooperate in a variety of issue areas (economy, security, infrastructure etc.) more or less successfully. We observe institutional dynamics – and have evidence for paralysis, symbolism or even failure. Some regional organisations remind very much of the EU with regard to their institutional design and organisational structure. This gives rise to the impression that the EU as an external actor could have unfolded an impact and influence on the emergence and institutional design of such regionalisms. Apart from that, some regionalisms seem to prosper in the ‘shadow’ of regional hegemons who are of key importance for the success and development of regional integration projects.

The seminar is dedicated to global regionalism and aims to analyse, explain and compare the emergence, institutional design and performance (effectiveness) of regionalism in different parts of the world. Empirical examples and case studies include regional organisations from all continents, i.e. America, Europe, Africa and Asia. The alleged role model of the EU can act as bench mark for comparison although the seminar’s academic approach to the study of ‘regionalism’ is certainly not euro-centric.
In the first part of the course, students will gain knowledge about theories of regional cooperation and integration, international institutions and (policy) diffusion. This includes the latest research on new regionalism and regionalism in comparison. In the second part of the course, empirical case study research shall be in the focus and students learn to analyse and explain regionalism based on specific regional organisations. This includes critical assessment of the functionality and performance of regional integration projects. Against this background, the role and impact of regional hegemons as well as the EU as external actor shall be scrutinised.

Dates

Date (Day of the week) Time Location
04/15/2019 (Monday) 18:15 - 19:45 02 611 Seminarraum
1137 - Georg-Forster-Gebäude (Sowi)
04/29/2019 (Monday) 18:15 - 19:45 02 611 Seminarraum
1137 - Georg-Forster-Gebäude (Sowi)
05/06/2019 (Monday) 18:15 - 19:45 02 611 Seminarraum
1137 - Georg-Forster-Gebäude (Sowi)
05/13/2019 (Monday) 18:15 - 19:45 02 611 Seminarraum
1137 - Georg-Forster-Gebäude (Sowi)
05/20/2019 (Monday) 18:15 - 19:45 02 611 Seminarraum
1137 - Georg-Forster-Gebäude (Sowi)
05/27/2019 (Monday) 18:15 - 19:45 02 611 Seminarraum
1137 - Georg-Forster-Gebäude (Sowi)
06/03/2019 (Monday) 18:15 - 19:45 02 611 Seminarraum
1137 - Georg-Forster-Gebäude (Sowi)
06/17/2019 (Monday) 18:15 - 19:45 02 611 Seminarraum
1137 - Georg-Forster-Gebäude (Sowi)
06/24/2019 (Monday) 18:15 - 19:45 02 611 Seminarraum
1137 - Georg-Forster-Gebäude (Sowi)
07/01/2019 (Monday) 18:15 - 19:45 02 611 Seminarraum
1137 - Georg-Forster-Gebäude (Sowi)
07/08/2019 (Monday) 18:15 - 19:45 02 611 Seminarraum
1137 - Georg-Forster-Gebäude (Sowi)