ULUSLARARASI POLİTİKA

regionalisation can be defined as akin to “nation-building”, and “regionalism” can be defined as a process of “identity” construction akin to “nationalism”. …“regionalism” as like many other “isms” (socialism, communism, fascism, etc.) is essentially ideational implying degrees of identity.

Hoshiro defines regionalization “as an increase in the cross-border flow of capital, goods, and people within a specific geographical area.

regionalization is a process, and integration is its fruit.

It has been defined first and foremost historically as a space between the national and the local, primarily within particular states. These types of ‘regions’ are referred to as micro-regions and they can exist within a special state or be cross-border naturally.

Regionalism which can be defined as a theory or practice of being regional rather than being central in the level of system, administration or economic, cultural, or political affiliation is a prominent trend in the field of regional or systemic studies.

From another point of view, there are three distinct forms of ‘regionalism’ as social, economic, and cultural.

Table 3.1 shows the collective regional actions among which socialism and nationalism are not included.

Coordination enables access to information and coordinated application of best practice norms and standards.

Cooperation is achieved by “developing and committing

Region

Some concepts which explain a locally union or unity such as region, regionalism, regionalization, and integration are confused with each other. It can be showed some differences between these concepts despite small nuances. While region refers to a defined and clear area in one geographic space where boundries are lined, regionalism expresses a political movement which is based on awareness of and loyalty to a region, combined with dedication to a region-wide agenda of some kind in the second phase. The suffix in the word of regionalism suggests a conscious set of related ideas or ideology that is capable of forming the basis of a political movement or an intellectual trend. It implies a coordinated action on the part of governments based on some vision or set of ideas. Regionalization can be defined as the formation or realignment of transactions and attitudes along regional lines. It is in some way a manifestation of globalization.

The concept of region has generically occupied an important position in social sciences. It has been defined first and foremost historically as a space between the national and the local, primarily within particular states. These types of regions are referred to as micro-regions and they can exist within a special state or be cross-border naturally. The concept of region also shows macro-regions, which are larger territorial units or sub-systems, between the state and the level of global system. There are meso-regions: mid-range state or non-state arrangements and processes between the two levels.

Muravska states that geography is characterized by internal homogeneity in terms of conditions of nature and mainly cultural, economic, and political processes. For him, normative regions are established by some legal acts for the implementation of certain functions with consideration of required resources and administration. The analytical regions are described as based on analytical requirements. They are classified according to geographical or socio- economic characteristics. Firstly, regional policy in this point is “a set of agreed and organized measures for ensuring development across certain territory”; traditionally, nation state. Regional economic policy or regional planning includes all forms of public interventions for geographical placement of economic activity. Secondly, regional policy attempts to make corrections in free market economy for attainment of two interrelated objectives: improved social distribution and economic growth.

EU regional policy is an investment policy. It supports job competitiveness, creation, economic growth, improved quality of life, and sustainable development. These investments support the delivery of “the Europe 2020 Strategy”. Regional policy is also the expression of the European Union’s solidarity with the less developed countries and regions in concentrating funds on the areas and sectors where they can make the most difference. Regional policy, in the example of EU, aims to reduce the significant economic, social and territorial disparities that still exist between Europe’s regions.

For Camroux, regionalisation can be defined as akin to “nation-building”, and “regionalism” can be defined as a process of “identity” construction akin to “nationalism”. For Camroux, to define “regionalism” as like many other “isms” is essentially ideational implying degrees of identity. It can be said that the confusion in the expression of regionalization and regionalism springs from the particular disciplinary parameters of the researchers involved.

The regional collective action of coordination is a form of regionalization that requires voluntary consultations and agreements in addition to possible resource sharing. It aims to achieve open consultation and access to information, and coordinated application of shared, best-practice norms and standards.

There are three distinct forms of regionalism as social, economic, and cultural. When social regionalism refers to the fact that the divergent electoral behaviour of different regions is often simply a reflection of their different social composition, economic regionalism describes the fact that the geographical concentration of a particular industry may lead voters in a region to develop a distinct sense of shared economic interest. Finally, the third form of (political) regionalism, is cultural regionalism that could emerge if significant groups of voters come to question the legitimacy of the state as a provider of public goods. Additionally, it is possible to make clear that economic and cultural regionalism emerge from a process of social interaction and various processes.

When looked at the establishment dates of the regional organizations, their establishment dates is as follows:

Euroasian Economic Union: 2001

Central American Integration System: 1993

Asia-Pasific Economic Cooperation: 1989

African Union: 2002

Arab League: 1945

When looked at the different types of regional organisations, East African Community, European Union - Turkey Customs Union and Inter-American Development Bank appears as Regional Economic (Development) Organization, whilst Collective Security Treaty Organization appears among Regional Security Organizations. On the other hand, The Organization of Islamic Cooperations is pointed out as a regional political organization.

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) came into effect in 1994, creating one of the world’s largest free trade zones and laying the foundations for strong economic growth and rising prosperity for the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Since then, NAFTA has demonstrated how free trade increases wealth and competitiveness, delivering real benefits to workers, families, farmers, manufacturers, and consumers.