1st Edition
European and East Asian Regionalism Critical Junctures and Historical Turning Points
Embedded in the evolving comparative regionalism literature, this book offers a systematic analysis of the factors positively and negatively influencing regional institution-building.
The ruptures caused by the Eurozone crises, the coronavirus pandemic and by Brexit have renewed the interest in the impact of crises and critical junctures on regionalism here defined as regional institution-building. Drawing from critical juncture research and historical comparative analysis, this volume uses the cases of European and East Asian regional institution-building to systematically analyse institutional transformations during specific historical turning points and critical juncture moments. Wunderlich’s research offers an in-depth analysis of the interrelated drivers, spoilers and dissolvers of regional institution-building processes in Europe and East Asia, and addresses key questions including: Under what conditions does regionalism take hold? What is influencing the initial institutional design choices? What is the impact of historical experiences and well-entrenched norms and ideas? What are the roles of regional leaders? How do external factors influence regional institution-building? What turns a crisis into a critical juncture and are such junctures threats or opportunities? What accounts for variations in institutional responses to crisis events across different regional settings?
This book will be a valuable resource for scholars of regionalism, region-building, regional governance and international relations of Europe and East Asia.
Introduction
Aims and Objectives
Key Concepts
Regions, Regionalisms and Regionalisation
Great Power Politics, Globalisation and Regionalism
Regional Institutions
Structure of the Volume
Chapter 1 Comparative Regionalism – Mapping the Theoretical Landscape
Introduction
Classical Integration Theories
Second-Wave Theorising
Current Trends - Comparative Regionalism
Summary
Chapter 2 Post-1945 European Institution-Building
Introduction
Hegemonic Regionalism
Post-1945 Europe – A New Momentum for Regional Institution-Building
Hegemonic Support for Regional Institution-Building
The Roles of Regional Core Countries
Conclusions
Chapter 3 The Emergence of Regional Institutions in East Asia
Introduction
Regional Institution-Building in East Asia after 1945
Northeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Conclusions
Chapter 4 European Institution-Building and the End of the Cold War
Introduction
The Single European Act and the Rejuvenation of Regional-Institution-Building in Europe (and Beyond)
The End of the Cold War and European Regionalism – The Road to Maastricht
Conclusions
Chapter 5 East Asian Regional Institution-Building after the Cold War
Introduction
The Early Years of ASEAN
New Regionalism and East Asia
Conclusion
Chapter 6 Financial Crisis, Critical Junctures and Institution-Building in East Asia and Europe
Introduction
The Asian Financial Crisis and East Asian Regionalism
The Global Financial Crisis and European Integration
Conclusions
Conclusions: Regional Institution-Building in the Twentieth Century – Evidence from Europe and East Asia
Introduction
Drivers, Spoilers and Dissolvers of Regional Institution-Building
Regional Institution-Building in Post-Liberal Times
Biography
Jens-Uwe Wunderlich is Lecturer in International Relations at the School of Languages and Social Sciences at Aston University in Birmingham, UK. He holds degrees from the Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg and the University of East Anglia in Norwich. His research focuses on comparative regionalism, European integration, East Asian regionalism, forms of postnational actorness and the impact of crises on regional institution-building. His most recent research has been published in the Journal of Common Market Studies and the Journal of European Integration.
