Comparative Regional Integration: Challenges for EU Studies

Comparative Regional Integration: Challenges for EU Studies

This project aims to increase the understanding of contemporary forms of comparative regionalism. Faced with a large variety of integration mechanisms on other continents, scholars have grappled with the challenge of analysing whether and how the EU relates to these processes. This project has as its key objective to advance current debates on the topic of comparative regionalism. By bringing together leading scholars in the field from different continents and perspectives, this project will enrich the existing literature. The first output will be a special issue in one of the leading EU studies journals, which have signalled interest in this already. By analysing the exportability of the EU experience and its model, the project also focuses attention on the increasing importance that is given by the EU and the wider policy world to the promotion of regional integration. The second output is to interact with civil society on this issue and come up with some clear policy recommendations.

Estatuto: 
Entidade participante
Financiado: 
Não
Rede: 
Jean Monnet research and training activity
Keywords: 

Comparative Regional Integration; Europe;Latin America; Policy-making

This project aims to increase the understanding of contemporary forms of comparative regionalism. Faced with a large variety of integration mechanisms on other continents, scholars have grappled with the challenge of analysing whether and how the EU relates to these processes. This project has as its key objective to advance current debates on the topic of comparative regionalism. By bringing together leading scholars in the field from different continents and perspectives, this project will enrich the existing literature. The first output will be a special issue in one of the leading EU studies journals, which have signalled interest in this already. By analysing the exportability of the EU experience and its model, the project also focuses attention on the increasing importance that is given by the EU and the wider policy world to the promotion of regional integration. The second output is to interact with civil society on this issue and come up with some clear policy recommendations.

Objectivos: 
The transnational dimension of the project will also enhance the project's potential. On the other hand, much of the literature on this issue deals with a tendency to regard the EU as a model. In within this respect we also see that the EU is keen to promote its model outside its own borders and stimulate regional integration elsewhere. Promoting regional integration can be seen in different ways (enlargement, normative power Europe and inter-regionalism). We believe that the first two ways are rather well-studied, but the third one less so, and that in the wake of, for instance, the Africa Strategy or the FTA with ASEAN, this gap should be filled.  Through direct interaction with civil society, think thanks, academics, EU and other policy makers we will also develop robust policy-relevant insights into good practice in the promotion of regional integration and inter-regionalism by the EU.
Parceria: 
Rede Internacional
Philippe De Lombaerde
Philomena Murray
Alex Warleigh-Lack
Alberta Sbragia
Finn Laursen
Coordenador Geral 
Luk Van Langenhove
Coordenador ICS 
Referência externa 
PROJ10/2010
Data Inicio: 
01/09/2009
Data Fim: 
01/08/2010
Duração: 
11 meses
Concluído