The Growth of Regionalism: Implications for the International System

Abstract

It is often suggested that the development of regionalism and regional identities throughout the international system is detrimental to trends toward globalization. This article argues that the growth of regionalism is not at the expense of global­ization. Rather, it is a trend which can be exploited in the development and implementation of policy toward regions that traditionally have been less developed, less organized, and less influential in the international system. First defining and then examining the existence of regionalism, this article pro­vides theoretical justification for the growth of regionalism today, focusing specifically on three regions: Southern Africa, the southern cone of South America, and Southeast Asia. Examining the growth of regionalism in those three areas for a period of 35 years, the degree of organization in each region over time is measured. Interpretation of the data presented here results in discussion of the necessity of regional cohesion in increasing a region’s influence at the global level. The article concludes with speculation about the different ways in which the international system or a representative nation such as the United States might be expected to react to higher levels of regional organization. Policy implications are discussed throughout.