Globalization and Beyond

Globalization and Beyond

Globalization and Beyond

Introduction

This paper examines the interaction among the forces that shape world politics in the contemporary system: globalization, and regionalization. The main thesis suggested here is that these forces cannot be assessed in isolation, neither independently from one another, nor from a perspective of either convergence or divergence among them. Rather, globalization and regionalization should be captured and studied as forces relative to and overlapping one another, sometimes antagonistic and sometimes cooperative toward each other, but never harmonious. This argument is theoretically relevant both in the context of the world political economy and of international security (with special reference to security complexes and pluralistic security communities).

Discussion

There are three possible options regarding the mutual relations between regionalization and globalization, especially in the economic dimension: (1) regionalization as a component of globalization (convergent trends); (2) regionalization as a challenge or response to globalization (divergent trends); (3) regionalization and globalization as parallel processes (overlapping trends) (Mittelman, 1996).

Regionalization as a Component of Globalization

Regionalism is emerging today as a potent force in the processes of globalization. If globalization is regarded as the compression of the temporal and spatial aspects of social relations, then regionalism may be understood as but one component, or 'chapter' of globalization (Mittelman 1996). According to this view, by helping national economies to become more competitive in the world market, regional integration will lead to multilateral cooperation on a global scale, the adoption of liberal premises about cooperation, and the opening of the local economies. Thus, the process of regional integration can be interpreted as part of the international (or global) economic order at the end of the twentieth century; if impelled by raw material forces (of the market), then it becomes a result and a component of globalization (Reynolds, 1997). Moreover, since globalization unfolds in uneven rather than uniform dynamic patterns, it may reveal itself in processes that are less than geographically global in scope. Therefore, globalization may be expressed through regionalization (Holm and Sorensen 1995).

Regionalization as a Challenge or Response to Globalization

Is regionalism a means toward something else other than globalization? Can regionalism lead to a more pluralistic world order populate by diverse and distinct patterns of socioeconomic organizations that are accountable to their populations? (Mittelman, 1996) Unlike the first trend, the impetus toward regionalization might stem in this case from a reaction and challenge to the amorphous, undemocratic, and inexorable economic rules of globalization. This reaction can be motivated by either nationalistic/mercantilistic or pluralistic/humanistic concerns (in same cases, even by both). In the first place, by creating trade blocs and integration frameworks based on mercantilistic premises, regionalism opposes the neoliberal 'harmony of interest' view of the world economy in favor of national (and regional) loyalties and frameworks. Conversely, the drive toward the formation of regions might be also motivated by the denial of a single universal culture (and ideology) and the promotion of alternative or pluralistic forms of social and political organizations other than the nation-states at the regional ...