Theoretical Approaches to the Black Sea Region: ‘Is the Wider Black Sea Area a Region?’

The paper aims to shed light on how a region may be built out of the Black Sea area. Therefore, the paper asks, first, whether the Black Sea area is a region or a region-to-be. If neither, then how to transform the Black Sea area into a region through the context of ‘new regionalism’ and the relevant theories. First, it delves into defining what it means to be a ‘region’ in the context of ‘new regionalism’. Then, three different theories, i.e. neo-functionalism, neo-liberal institutionalism and constructivism, are unravelled to lay the foundation for the main query of the paper – ‘is the Wider Black Sea area a region’. Constructivism provides fertile ground for the most appropriate premises for constructing a region around the Black Sea in relation to new regionalism. Accordingly, the paper discovers the perils and opportunities lying ahead of any initiative to construct a region out of the Black Sea area. The paper offers that the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) acts as an anchor of the Wider Black Sea area and a catalyst for a new understanding of regionalism which is capable of taking root and thriving in the Black Sea area.

Keywords:

Neo-functionalism, Neo-liberal institutionalism, Constructivism, Wider Black Sea Area Regionalism,

PDF

___

Celac, Sergiu. “The Role and Potential of The Organization of the BSEC.” Centre for International and European Studies, vol. 1, (2017): 1-7.
Ciută, Felix. “Parting the Black Sea (Region): Geopolitics, Institutionalisation and the Reconfiguration of European Security.” European Security, 16(1) (2007): 51-78. https://doi.org/10.1080/09662830701442402
Ciută, Felix. “Region? Why Region? Security, Hermeneutics, and the Making of the Black Sea Region.” Geopolitics, 13(1) (2008): 120-147. https://doi.org/10.1080/14650040701783367
Emerson, R. Guy. “An Art of the Region: Towards a Politics of Regionness.” New Political Economy, 19(4) (2013): 559-577. https://doi.org/10.1080/13563467.2013.829434
Ethier, Wilfred. “The New Regionalism.” The Economic Journal, 108(449) (1998): 1149-1161. Fabbri, Claudia M. “The Constructivist Promise and Regional Integration: An Answer to 'Old' and 'New' Puzzles. The South American case.” Working Paper (Coventry: University of Warwick, 2005).
Fawn, Rick. “‘Regions’ and Their Study: Wherefrom, What for and Whereto?,” Review of International Studies, 35(S1) (2009): 5-34. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0260210509008419
Gochhayat, Aratrana. “Regionalism and sub-regionalism: A Theoretical Framework with Special Reference to India.” African Journal of Political Science and International Relations, 8(1) (2014): 10-26. https://doi.org/10.5897/ajpsir2013.0611
Hajizada, Mukhtar, & Marciacq, Florent. “New Regionalism in Europe's Black Sea Region: The EU, BSEC and Changing Practices of Regionalism.” East European Politics, 29(3) (2013): 305-327. https://doi.org/10.1080/21599165.2013.807800
Hamilton, Daniel. S. and Mangott, Gerhard. The Wider Black Sea Region in the 21st Century. (Washington, D.C.: Center for Transatlantic Relations, 2008).
Hettne, Björn. “Beyond the ‘New’ Regionalism.” New Political Economy, 10(4) (2005): 543-571. https://doi.org/10.1080/13563460500344484
Hettne, Björn. “The New Regionalism Revisited.” In Theories of New Regionalism, eds. Fredrick Söderbaum and Timothy M. Shaw, 22-42. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2017.
Hurrell, Andrew. “Regionalism in Theoretical Perspective.” In Regionalism in World Politics, eds. Louise Fawcett and Andrew Hurrell, 58-66. New York: Oxford UP, 1995a.
Hurrell, Andrew. “Explaining the Resurgence of Regionalism in World Politics.” Review of International Studies, 21(4) (1995b): 331-358. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0260210500117954
Manoli, Panagiota. “Black Sea Regionalism in Perspective.” Centre for International and European Studies, vol. 2 (2011): 1-8.
Mittelman, James. H. “Rethinking the “New Regionalism” in the Context of Globalization.” Global Governance, 2(2) (1996): 189-213. https://doi.org/10.1163/19426720-002-02-90000004
Ndayi, Zoleka V. “‘Theorising the Rise of Regionness’ by Bjorn Hettne and Fredrik Soderbaum.” Politikon, 33(1) (2006): 113-124. https://doi.org/10.1080/02589340600618180
Nye, Joseph S. “Patterns and Catalysts in Regional Integration.” International Organization, 19(4) (1965): 870-884. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0020818300012649
Rumelili, Bahar. “Bölgeselcilik ve İnşacılık: Kazanımlar ve Vaatler.” Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi, 12 (46) (2015): 168-185. https://doi.org/10.33458/uidergisi.463033
Secrieru, Stanislav. “Protracted Conflicts in the Eastern Neighborhood: Between Averting Wars and Building Trust.” Centre for International and European Studies, vol. 6 (2013): 1-13.
Söderbaum, Fredrik. “Introduction: Theories of New Regionalism.” In Theories of New Regionalism, eds. Fredrik Söderbaum and Timothy M. Shaw, 1-21. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003.
Söderbaum, Fredrik. “Theories of Regionalism.” In Routledge Handbook of Asian Regionalism, eds. Mark Beson and Richard Stubbs, 11-21. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2011.
Tavares, Rodrigo. The State of the Art of Regionalism, The Past, Present and Future of a Discipline. UNU-CRIS Working Papers, (United Nations University, 2004).
Triantaphyllou, Dimitrios. “The Complexities of Black Sea Regional Security.” The Centre for Governance and Culture in Europe, 6, 2012.
Troebst, Stefan, “The Black Sea as Historical Meso-Region: Concepts in Cultural Studies and the Social Sciences,” Journal of Balkan and Black Sea Studies, 2 (2019): 11-29.
Vayrynen, Raimo. “Regionalism: Old and New.” International Studies Review, 5(1) (2003): 25-51. https://doi.org/10.1111/1521-9488.501002