Week 6 - World of Regions || The Contemporary World

Summary

This lesson delves into regionalism as a political and economic phenomenon, examining how regions interlock with globalization. It explores the concept of regions as political entities, the process of regionalization, and the political ideology of regionalism. The lecture discusses various examples of regional alliances, such as NATO and ASEAN, and how they respond to globalization, economic crises, and the push for political democratization. It also touches on new regionalism, where NGOs and communities organize to address specific issues like environmental protection and migrant rights, facing challenges from nationalism and differing global visions.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The concept of 'world of regions' involves examining regions as political entities and understanding how they interact with globalization.
• 🏛️ Regions are defined by Edward D. Mansfield and Helene V. Milner as groups of countries in the same geographical area or amalgamations of regions with shared governance.
• 🔍 Regionalization is the process of dividing an area into regions for economic flow management, often used by businesses for targeted management strategies.
• 🤝 Regionalism is a political process characterized by economic policy cooperation among countries, aiming to increase political power or influence within a region.
• 🌍 Examples of regions include Europe, Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and the Americas.
• 💼 Countries respond to globalization in various ways, such as leveraging their resources, strategic location, or forming alliances for economic and political strength.
• 🤼‍♀️ Regional alliances, like NATO and the Warsaw Pact, are formed for mutual support and defense, reflecting the strategic military and political cooperation among nations.
• 💵 Economic crises, such as the 1996 Thai economic collapse, can compel countries to form regional organizations for economic stability and crisis management.
• 🌱 New regionalism involves communities and organizations focusing on specialized causes, like environmental protection, conflict resolution, and migrant rights, often partnering with governments for social change.
• 🚧 Regionalism faces challenges like the resurgence of nationalism, differing views on democracy's role in globalization, and the struggle for member countries to balance sovereignty with regional stability.

Q & A

What is the main focus of Lesson Six in the subject 'The Contemporary World'?

Lesson Six focuses on the world of regions, examining regions as political entities, and exploring how they interlock with globalization. It also discusses regionalism in relation to identities, ethics, religion, ecological sustainability, and health.

According to Edward D. Mansfield and Helene V. Milner, what are the basic features everyone can agree on when defining regions?

The basic features of regions include a group of countries located in the same geographical area, an amalgamation of two regions, or a combination of more than two regions organized to regulate and oversee the flows and policy choices.

What is an example of regionalization mentioned in the script?

An example of regionalization is the division of a nation into different states or provinces, which businesses use as a management tool to ensure that needs unique to a particular area are met.

What does the term 'regionalism' refer to in the context of the script?

In the script, 'regionalism' refers to a political process characterized by economic policy cooperation and coordination among countries, as well as a political ideology that seeks to increase the political power or influence of the people of one or more sub-national regions.

How does the script describe the role of China in global integration?

The script describes China as a country that offers its cheap and huge workforce to attract foreign businesses and expand trade with other countries, thus dictating how it participates in the process of global integration.

What is the significance of Singapore's strategic location according to the script?

Singapore is described as sitting at one of the most strategically important locations in the world, serving as an economic gateway between the east and the west, and being the world's largest transshipment port on one of the world's most important trade routes, the Malacca Straits.

What is the purpose of a regional alliance as explained in the script?

A regional alliance is formed by countries that believe in strength in numbers, providing mutual support in case of war, and pooling resources to get better returns for their exports and expand their leverage against trading partners.

How does the script explain the formation of the NATO alliance?

The script explains that NATO was formed during the Cold War as an agreement between Western European countries and the United States to protect Europe against the threat of the Soviet Union.

What is the role of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) as mentioned in the script?

OPEC was established to regulate the production and sale of oil. It flexed its muscles in the 1970s when its member countries took over domestic production and dictated crude oil prices worldwide.

How does the script describe the impact of economic crises on regionalism?

Economic crises compel countries to come together to address financial issues collectively. For example, the 1996 Thai economic collapse led to a rapid withdrawal of foreign investments, which in turn prompted the establishment of an emergency fund by ASEAN countries along with China, Japan, and South Korea to stabilize the crisis.

What challenges does regionalism face according to the script?

Regionalism faces challenges such as the resurgence of militant nationalism and populism, differing visions of what regionalism should be, and the struggle of regional organizations to maintain unity and effectiveness in the face of global politics and economic pressures.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Introduction to the World of Regions

The video begins with an introduction to the concept of regions as political entities. It discusses the various aspects of regionalism, including the examination of what unites regions in the context of globalization. The lesson aims to explore regionalism's impact on identities, ethics, religion, ecological sustainability, and health. It also poses the question of where regionalism is leading both nations and global citizens. The instructor provides definitions of regions, regionalization, and regionalism, using examples from different parts of the world like Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The video emphasizes the economic and political aspects of regions and how they interlock with the process of globalization.

05:01

🤝 The Formation of Regional Alliances

This section delves into why countries form regional alliances. It outlines various reasons such as the belief in 'strength in numbers,' economic and political responses to globalization, and the need for mutual support in times of conflict. Examples of alliances like NATO and the Warsaw Pact are discussed, highlighting their defensive nature and historical context. The video also touches on economic alliances like OPEC, which was formed to regulate oil production and sales, and the Non-Aligned Movement, which aimed to protect national sovereignty and promote peace. The summary also mentions how economic crises, such as the one in Thailand in 1996, can compel countries to unite and form regional organizations to address common challenges.

10:02

🌱 New Regionalism and Community Engagement

The video introduces the concept of 'new regionalism,' which involves communities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working together to address specific issues or problems. This form of regionalism is characterized by its focus on values, norms, and systems that exist outside traditional institutions. Examples of such organizations include the Rainforest Foundation, which protects indigenous people and rainforests, and the Regional Interfaith Youth Networks, which promotes peace education and sustainable development. The video notes that these organizations often face financial constraints and limited impact in global politics but play a crucial role in advocating for change and raising awareness about important social and environmental issues.

15:03

🚧 Challenges Facing Regionalism

This part of the video discusses the various challenges that regionalism faces today. It mentions the resurgence of militant nationalism and populism, which can strain relationships between countries and affect the stability of regional organizations. The video provides examples such as the United States' relationship with NATO and the European Union's financial crisis, which has led to member countries considering leaving the union. It also touches on the differing visions of regionalism between Western and non-Western countries, with the latter sometimes viewing democracy as an obstacle to economic globalization. The video concludes by stating that the future of regionalism will depend on the changes in global politics in the 21st century.

20:05

🌟 Conclusion on Regionalism's Future

The final paragraph summarizes the key points discussed in the video, emphasizing the importance of understanding regionalism in the context of globalization. It reiterates that regional associations emerge in response to new global concerns and that their future will be shaped by the evolving dynamics of global politics. The video concludes by highlighting the significance of regionalism in addressing global challenges and the need for continued dialogue and cooperation among nations.

Keywords

💡Regionalism

Regionalism refers to the political, economic, and social cooperation among countries within a specific geographical region. In the video, regionalism is discussed as a way for countries to interlock with globalization and to manage economic and political interactions. It is exemplified by the formation of regional alliances and organizations such as the European Union, ASEAN, and NATO, which are aimed at fostering cooperation and unity among member states.

💡Globalization

Globalization is the process of increasing global connectivity and integration in various aspects such as trade, culture, and technology. The video discusses how countries respond to globalization differently, with some leveraging their resources or strategic locations to participate in global integration, while others form alliances to strengthen their positions collectively.

💡Regionalization

Regionalization is the process of dividing an area into smaller segments called regions, often for economic or administrative purposes. The video uses the example of businesses using regionalization as a management tool to ensure that the unique needs of a particular area are met, and how nations might divide into states or provinces to better manage local affairs.

💡Economic Crisis

An economic crisis is a period of negative economic growth, typically characterized by a sharp decline in output and trade, high unemployment rates, and financial instability. The video references the 1996 Thai economic collapse as an example of how economic crises can compel countries to come together and form regional alliances or organizations to mitigate the effects and prevent future crises.

💡Alliance

An alliance in international relations is a formal agreement between two or more states or countries for mutual support, often in case of war or conflict. The video discusses alliances such as NATO and the Warsaw Pact, highlighting their roles in providing military defense and political cooperation among member countries.

💡Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)

The Non-Aligned Movement is an organization of states that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. The video explains how NAM was created to pursue world peace, international cooperation, and non-intervention, and how it reached a peak with 120 member countries, although it was never formalized and its influence has waned over time.

💡New Regionalism

New Regionalism refers to the recent trend of regional cooperation that includes not only states but also non-state actors such as NGOs and civil society organizations. The video describes how new regionalism focuses on a multitude of common problems and how it relies on the power of individuals and organizations to link up in pursuit of specific goals, such as the Rainforest Foundation, Regional Interfaith Youth Networks, and the Migrant Forum in Asia.

💡Militant Nationalism

Militant nationalism is a form of nationalism characterized by aggressive self-assertion and the promotion of national interests or culture. The video mentions the resurgence of militant nationalism as a challenge to regionalism, with examples such as the United States' relationship with NATO becoming problematic under certain political leadership.

💡Populism

Populism is a political approach that strives to appeal to ordinary people who feel that their concerns are disregarded by established elite groups. The video discusses how populism, particularly in the context of anti-immigrant sentiment, has led to challenges for regional organizations, such as the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union (Brexit).

💡Sovereignty

Sovereignty is the full right and power of a governing body to govern itself without any interference from outside sources or bodies. The video touches on the debate within regional organizations like ASEAN, where member countries may have to balance their sovereignty with the need for regional stability and cooperation.

Highlights

Lesson Six focuses on the world of regions, examining regionalism in the context of globalization.

Regions are defined as political entities, with examples including Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

Regionalization is the process of dividing an area into smaller segments for economic flow management.

Regionalism is a political ideology that seeks to increase the political power of sub-national regions.

Countries respond to globalization in various ways, such as China using its workforce to attract foreign businesses.

Small countries like Singapore compensate for a lack of resources by becoming financial hubs.

Regional alliances form for mutual support, exemplified by NATO and the Warsaw Pact.

Organizations like OPEC are formed to regulate production and sale of resources like oil.

The Non-Aligned Movement was created to pursue peace and non-intervention in international affairs.

Economic crises, like the 1996 Thai economy collapse, compel countries to unite for economic stability.

New regionalism involves communities and NGOs working towards common goals, such as the Rainforest Foundation.

Challenges to regionalism include the resurgence of nationalism and differing views on democracy and globalization.

Regionalism is shaped by both physical and cultural factors, influencing integration and cooperation.

The future of regionalism will depend on global political changes in the 21st century.

Transcripts

good day everyone

welcome to this subject the contemporary

world

again i miss noviti balikot your

instructor

for this subject so we are now in our

lesson six which is

all about the world of region so in this

lesson

uh you are expected to look at the

regions as a political entities

examine what brings regions together

as they interlock with globalization

and explore the other facets of

regionalism

especially those that pertain to

identities

ethics religion ecological

sustainability and health

and lastly conclude by asking where all

of this regionalism are bringing us

members of the nation and as a citizen

of the world so world of regions

according to edward d

mansfield and helene v milner

state that economic and political

definitions of regions

vary but there are certain basic

features that everyone can agree on

so when

we say a group of countries located in

same geographical or specified area

or an amalgamation of two regions or a

combination of more than two regions

organized to regulate and oversee the

flows and policy choices

we refer it to as regions so example of

regions are europe

central and eastern europe region asian

region

african region the mediterranean

and the middle east and the americas so

those regions are made

up of uh nations or countries

now and when we say

a regional concentration of economic

flows and its process

of dividing an area into smaller

segments called regions

we are talking about regionalization

so one of the most obvious example of

regionalization

is the division of nation into different

states or provinces so businesses

use this regionalization as a management

tool and a way to make certain that

needs unique to a particular area are

met next is when we say a political

process

characterized by economic policy

cooperation and coordination among

countries

we mean this as regina

lisem so regionalism

meaning to say a political ideology

so it seeks to increase the political

power or influence of the people of one

or more

sub-national regions so it focuses

focuses on the development of a

political

or social system based on one or

more region so those are some of the

definitions important to the topic

our topic for this lesson the word the

world

of religions so

countries or nations respond

economically and

politically to globalization in various

ways

first some countries are large enough

and have a lot of resources to dictate

on how they participate

in the process of global integration

so for example china now the country

china the china offers its cheap

and huge workforce to attract

foreign businesses and expand

trade with other countries so same with

us and japan

and other countries also

make up their small size by taking

advantage

their strategic location

so for example the country um

singapore and switzerland so these are

small countries

so they compensate their lack of

resources

into financial bunking hubs

so despite its small size according to

the ambassador

to singapore kathleen mcfarland

singapore sits stride one of the most

important jail strategically important

locations

in the world so it is the economic

gateway between the east and the west

as one of the world's most important

trade

routes on the malacca straits and it is

the world's largest transshipment

port so singapore also is the security

gateway between east and the west as the

entrance to the south china

sea right so third in most cases

however countries form a regional

alliance for they believe that

strength there is strength

in numbers so when we talk about

alliance this is an international

relations

it's either a formal agreement between

two or more states or countries

for mutual support in case of

war so contemporary alliances

provide for combined action on the part

of two or more independent states

and are generally defensive in nature

so obligating allies to join forces

if one or more of them is attacked

by another state or coalition

so for example as

the alliance of north atlantic treaty

organization

or the nato so this is

for uh military defense

no the nato is the most widely known

defense

grouping and it is formed

during cold war so this was when the

western european countries

plus uh western european countries

plus united states not agreed

to protect europe not against the threat

of the soviet

union and

another alliance

for military defense is the warsaw pact

the soviet union by then responded by

creating a regional another regional

alliance the

warsaw pact consisting of the eastern

european

countries under the soviet uh

domination so the soviet the soviet

union imploded

in december 1991 but the natto

uh still remain in its place

right so

then uh regional alliances

are formed uh countries form regional

organizations because they need to

poor to pool their

resources to get what

better returns for their exports as well

as

expand their leverage against the

trading partners

so for example

the organization of the petroleum

countries or the opec which was

established in 1960

so it was established by iran the

countries iran

iraq kuwait

saudi arabia and

venezuela so this is to regulate the

production

and the sale of oil so this regional

alliance

flex its its muscles in 1970s

when its member countries took over the

domestic production

and dictated the crude oil prices

in the world and opec's

success convinced the nine other

oil producing countries no to join

them all right next is

uh countries form regional alliance to

protect

their independence from the pressures of

the superpower

politics so for example the president

of the yogoslavia egypt ghana

and indonesia no created the nam

or what they call the non-allied

movement in 1961

to pursue world peace and international

cooperation

human rights national sovereignty

racial and national equality and

non-intervention

and peaceful conflict resolution

so at its peak the nam or the non-allied

movement

is or had 120 member

countries so the movement however was

never formalized

and continues to exist up to present

although

it lacks the same favor that it had in

the

past and finally

what brings the countries together is

because of economic crisis now so

economic crisis

compels countries to come together

so for example the thai

economy or the silent country in asia

so the thai economy collapsed in 1996

so after it's fur after the foreign

currency speculators and troubled

international banks

demanded that the thai government pay

back

its loan so there is a rapid withdrawal

of foreign investments

which bankrupted the economy of thailand

so the crisis began to spread to other

asian countries

as their currencies were also devalued

in foreign investment

left in a hurry so with this the imf

if you have remembered tried to reverse

the crisis

but it was only after the assailant

countries

uh which are the brunei cambodia

indonesia the lao malaysia myanmar

philippines singapore

thailand and vietnam no

along with china japan and south korea

agreed to

establish an emergency fund to

anticipate a crisis

a crisis that assayan economists

stabilized so the crisis made saiyan

more united and coordinated

all right so

it is not only the state states or

countries agreed

to work or to join together in the name

of a single cause or because of one

reason

communities also engage in region

original organizing no so this

is what we call the near regionalism

so they can be a tiny association

small associations that include no more

more than a few actors and focus on a

single issue or a

or huge continental unions that address

a multitude of common problems

from territorial defense to food

security

security so organizations i'm

representing this new regionalism

likewise rely on the power of

individuals uh non-government

organizations or

ngos and associations to lead

to link up with one another in pursuit

of a particular

goal also this new regionalism

[Music]

is identified with reformist who

shares the same values norms

institutions and systems

that exist outside of the traditional

and established mainstream institutions

and systems

so some organizations

partner with government to initiate

social change for example the assayan

issued its human rights declaration in

2009

but the regional body left it to the

member countries to apply the degree

the declarations principles as they see

it fit

so aware of those democratic rights are

limited in many asian countries

so this new regionalism organizations

use this uh declaration to pressure

these

governments to pass laws

aside from that uh some regulations

that protect and promote human

rights so

um examples of these original

organizations

which dedicate themselves to specialized

causes these are the rainforest

foundation

the regional interfaith youth networks

organization

the migrant forum in asia

so let's start with the one organ with

one organization which is the rainforest

organization

a rainforest foundation which is

established by the activists across

um central and south america

so what is the aim of this organization

it it aimed to protect the indigenous

people

and the rainforest of brazil guyana

panama and peru so another organization

is the regional interfaith youth

networks so this

is formed by the young christians across

africa the middle east the americas and

the caribbean

what is the aim to promote

con conflict prevention

conflict resolution peace education

and sustainable development

lastly last example is the migrant forum

asia this is another regular ngo

and tradable unions which is community

to protect and promote the rights and

the welfare

of the migrant workers

so those are um

examples of the regional organizations

known

with a specialized or which dedicate

themselves to specialized

classes so these organizations primarily

lies

in their moral standing and their

ability to combine

lobbying with pressure politics so

unfortunately

most of them are poorly financed

so this places them at a disadvantage

when

dealing with their official counterparts

who have large state

funds so their impact in global polit

politics however is or therefore is

limited so this new regionalism

differs significantly from the

traditional state

to state regionalism so when it comes to

identifying

problems for example state

treat poverty organization environment

degradation

as technical or economic issues that can

be

resolved by refining existing programs

of state

agencies and making minor changes in

economic policies

and creating new offices that address

this

issue however near regional

regionalism advocates such as

the ngo global forum see

these issues as a reflections of a

flawed economic development

and environmental modern

so today

this regionalism

faces multiple challenges

and the most serious of which is the

resurgence of militant nationalism

and populism so the relationship for

example

of the united st

so the alliance core member with the

nato

has become problematic after donald

trump

demonized the organization as simply

he believed that it is just leeching

american

military power without

giving anything in return

so another example is the

most crisis-ridden regional organization

today

is the european union

so the continuing financial crisis

of the regions forcing countries like

greece

like greece to consider leaving the

union a

in the union who gain more flexibility

to gain more flexibility in their

economic policy

so anti-immigrant sentiment and a

popular

populist campaign against europe have

already led

to the united kingdom voting to leave

the european union

in the move the media has turned the

brexit

right so asylum members also

another challenge to re uh to

regionalism

in asia the assayan members continue to

disagree over the extent

to which member countries should

sacrifice their sovereignty

for the sake of regional stability

so recently saiyan countries also

disagreed

over how to relate to china

so with the philippines and able to get

other countries support

to support the condemnation of china's

occupation

in the west philippine

sea so

final challenge to regionalism

is the differing visions of what

regionally regionalism should be for the

western governments

no so for the western governments

they see regional organizations

not simply as economic formations

but also an instrument of political

democratization and

on the other hand the non-western and

developing societies however

may have a different view regarding

globalism globalization development and

democrat

democracy like singapore china

and russia they see democracy as

an obstacle to the implementation and

the deepening of

economic globalization because constant

public inquiry about

economic projects and lengthy debate

slow down

the implementation or lead to unclear

outcomes right

so

the factors or the difference between

globalization and regionalism

is that globalization as we all know

it signifies the events relating to the

globe all over the world

and it is the way countries and people

of the world interact or

integrate so while the term

regionalization

refers to the event across regions

that are sub-global like europe

northern northern northern america

amazon in brazil

yen and these regions

are formed by two fucktors

we have here physical and cultural

factors physical is defined by the

landforms

no like continent mountain ranges soil

natural vegetations

and another one regions are formed

because of

cultural factor which is distinguished

distinguished

by such traits languages politics

religions economic and industries

and these regions are kept together

through the following

so like natural factor history factor

administration

and communication so we have also these

factors which

leads to the greater integration of the

asyn

region like trade

similar culture common goals

mutual beliefs similar security

and similar

security needs so

indeed the history of regionalism

shows that regional associations

emerge as the new global concern

arise so the future of this regionalism

will be contingent

on the immense changes in the global

politics

that will emerge in the 21st

century so i think that would be all for

this

lesson so goodbye everyone have a good

day