COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THEORETICAL APPROACHES TO DEFINITION OF THE REGIONAL COMPLEX
The paper deals with the analysis of the concept “regional complex” by three mainstream approaches in the IR theory, namely, neorealism, neoliberalism, and social constructivism. In the English-speaking world the concept is mostly associated with the Regional Security Complexes Theory (RSCT) develop...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Jurist, Publishing Group
2019-05-01
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| Series: | Сравнительная политика |
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| Online Access: | https://comparativepolitics.elpub.ru/jour/article/view/960 |
| Summary: | The paper deals with the analysis of the concept “regional complex” by three mainstream approaches in the IR theory, namely, neorealism, neoliberalism, and social constructivism. In the English-speaking world the concept is mostly associated with the Regional Security Complexes Theory (RSCT) developed by Barry Buzan and Ole Wæver. However, such understanding reads the concept too narrow. Russian scholars (Alexei D. Voskressenski, Ekaterina V. Koldunova) broaden this understanding by engaging developmental issues. Yet, it seems that the concept “regional complex” still needs further elaboration. The author aims to analyze the use of the concept in the available English and Russian academic literature in order to reveal its scientific value. Having found that existing interpretations do not identify unambiguously the meaning of the “regional complex”, the author suggests her own definition of the regional complex as an integrated (“mature”) regional subsystem, which possesses its own actorness based on the feeling of a specific regional identity that is shared by peoples of the region as well as extra-regional observers. The paper offers an analytic comparison of the notions “region”, “regional subsystem”, “regional complex”. The main conclusion drawn by the author implies that the concept of “regional complex”, virtually ignored by English-speaking academic community, deserves an entry in the Russian political science thesaurus because it helps to conceptualise a promising field of international relations, that is, regional and interregional interaction. It seems that the use of this term is meaningful and productive for further development of the RussianschoolofWorld Regional Studies. |
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| ISSN: | 2221-3279 2412-4990 |