Suchergebnisse

Draws on the New Regionalism Approach (NRA) to analyze the political economy of the new regionalism in southern Africa in the post-Cold War & postapartheid era. The NRA challenges much of conventional wisdom in the field, which is seen as narrowly focused on intergovernmental regional organizations & intraregional trade. The analysis identifies four main types of regionalism in southern Africa, which to a large extent occur within the larger context of economic globalization, neoliberalism, & the retreat of the state: (1) open regionalism, (2) microregionalism, (3) private firms led regionalism, & (4) informal regionalism from below. Both open regionalism & microregionalism (as built around the concept of spatial development initiatives) seek to reinforce economic globalization & market integration, & attract foreign direct investment to bankable private investment projects. Together with the firms driven regionalism, which is constructed by & around large South African business enterprises, these three types of regionalism sustain a particular pattern of elite driven regionalism centered on economic growth, trade, & capital intensive projects in the formal economy, with little focus on development & poverty reduction. To a large extent, the myriad of activities included in informal regionalism from below emerges as a consequence of the negative & exclusionary effects of neoliberalism & the three types of elite driven regionalism. 47 References. Adapted from the source document.

The author takes a historical look at the issue of migration before turning to a discussion of migration in the age of globalization. The author also explores economic consequences of migration, and how migration has impacted the USA. References. Adapted from the source document.

A theoretical discussion on the relationship between globalization and international norms and whether the economy could be reformed into a just and stable system. According to the neoliberal and structuralist rational choice theory, states try to maximize their own benefit, which in turn determines international norms. The constructivist model flags for a socially conditional rationality where these norms are based on ideas, values and cultures alone. A possible path to international institutional reform could be the United Nations whose economist and sociologists disused the market crisis as a system crisis. However, a real reform cannot take place before more powerful multinational institutions have been developed. L. Pitkaniemi

This article discusses the historical background & content of Lenin's work on imperialism as the most evolved form of capitalism. This work, originally published in 1916, has captured renewed attention because of events on the international socio-economic stage. Lenin's distinction between capitalistic imperialism & military imperialism became a determining factor in the self-understanding of Marxists throughout the world, particularly in under-developed regions. In addition, this distinction also became a pivotal factor in Russian understanding of the revolution as a truly social revolution, thereby acting as a critical instrument in the country's understanding of its own history. Lenin's thinking is here also considered from a contemporary standpoint in which capitalism exists on a global scale. His view that social & political life in any given place would become increasingly dependent on what developments took place elsewhere is thereby suggested to be well ahead of its time in this respect. C Brunski

The Arctic region has attracted the interest of Arctic and non-Arctic states, as well as non-state actors, for decades. Corresponding with the growing attraction towards the region, the number of conferences attending to Arctic issues has expanded. This article provides an historical mapping of the Arctic conference sphere, and demonstrates how the establishment of Arctic conferences has both paralleled central events in Arctic affairs and can be linked to important international developments. Firstly, there is a notable peak conforming with the "second state change" in 2005, brought about by developments opening the Arctic to global concerns: the impacts of climate change and the spread of the socio-economic effects from globalization to the Arctic. Secondly, the expanding number of conferences around 2013 can be seen in relation to the growing interest in the region from non-Arctic states. As such, this article builds the argument for conferences as a central element within the Arctic governance architecture, creating linkages among units in the regime complex. The article devotes particular attention towards the two largest international conferences on Arctic issues – Arctic Frontiers and Arctic Circle Assembly – to illustrate how the necessity for hybrid policy-science-business conferences arose from a more complex governance system, and challenges requiring cross-sectoral, interdisciplinary, and international collaboration.