LESSON 6: A WORLD OF REGIONS

Learning Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

 Differentiate between regionalism and globalization

 Explain how regions are formed
 Discuss the contemporary challenges to regionalism
 Identify the factors leading to a greater integration of the Asian Region

ACTIVATE (Guess that Flag)

Instruction: Guess which inter-regional organization each flag represents. Write your answer on the
space provided.

       

       

       

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T-CHART
Fill out the T-Chart by providing details that differentiates regionalization from globalization.
GLOBALIZATION REGIONALIZATION
 
ACQUIRE
A World of Regions

    Governments, associations, societies and groups form regional organizations and/or networks as a way
of coping with the challenges of globalization. This political process characterized by economic policy
cooperation and coordination among countries is referred to as regionalization. It can only materialize
through the expression of a common sense of identity and purpose combined with the creation and
implementation of institutions that express a particular identity and shape collective action within a
geographical region, this consciousness is called regionalism. One must remember that regionalization is an
emergent and socially constituted phenomenon, meaning, it is never natural or given, it has to be realized.

    For one to understand how regionalization as a process of political engagement between countries, knowing
how regional organizations were established and on what purpose they were established is a requisite. 

    Regions within geopolitics, according to Melissa Rock, are social constructs that reflect certain perspectives
and judgments in making particular groupings based on geographically specified area. In layman’s term, it
refers to a group of countries located in the same area or is a combination of two or more regions organized to
regulate and oversee flows and policy choices. These groupings may sometimes be the basis of forming up
regional alliances like the ASEAN organization. 

    How do countries respond to globalization? Developed countries have had enough resources to dictate how
they take part in the processes of globalization. The United States for example, produces technology that helps
expand their economy. Others would offer their financial resources in a form of investments and foreign loans
which puts them in the pedestal of development. There are countries however, that are too small to compete
politically and economically in these international engagement. With this fact given, they form a regional
alliance for it’s easier to be in the forefront through a collective effort.

    Countries form regional organization for several reasons :

1. For military defense. The most widely known defense grouping is the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) formed during the Cold War when several Western European countries
plus the US agreed to protect Europe against the threat of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union
responded by creating a counterpart military alliance called the Warsaw Pact, consisting of
Eastern European countries. It collapsed however in December 1991, leaving the NATO as a
superior military alliance in the world.
2. Countries also form regional organizations to pool their resources, get better returns on their
exports and increase their leverage against their trading partners. To regulate and dictate the
production and export of oil, several countries in the Middle East ( Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi
Arabia) together with Venezuela established the Organization of Petroleum Exporting
Countries in 1960. The organization has been a dominant body in the world, dictating the
price and production of oil thus affecting prices of basic commodities. 
3. There are countries that form regional blocs to protect their independence from the pressures
of superpower politics. The political pressure of superpower countries has lobbied several
countries who refused to side with neither the Democratic West nor the Communist States in
 the East to create the ideologically neutral organization called the Non-Aligned Movement in
1961. It was never formalized and continues to exist but it lacks support from its members.
4. Economic crisis compels countries to come together. Although the ASEAN organization
existed already before the collapse of Asian Economy in 1996, it made the organization more
“unified and coordinated”. The efforts of its member-states with the aid from China, Japan
and South Korea, helped reinvigorate the Thai government resulting to the stabilization of the
Asian economy.

However cohesive an organization   might be, it will always falter. Regional organizations face
multiple challenges. The most serious of which is the resurgence of militant nationalism and populism. The
relationship of the United States and other NATO’s member countries has become problematic after Donald
Trump demonized the organization as simply leeching off American military power without giving anything in
return.

    Financial crisis can also threaten the relationship of an organization’s members and the existence of the
organization as a whole. In June 2016 for example, the United Kingdom withdraw from the European
Union to remove the strangling policies of the organization on its economy and to secure its sovereignty.

    In the South-east Asian Region, countries also continue to disagree over how countries should be
giving up a part of their sovereignty to secure the stability of the region. The territorial dispute in the
West Philippine Seas has been a huge challenge to the relationship of the member countries. Laos and
Cambodia opposed the organization’s decision to confront China after several facilities in the disputed
territories were found to have been built several months ago. Instead, they favored diplomacy but the real
reason behind the opposition was the fear to be strangled by China economically, given the huge amount
of investments and economic aid given to them. 

APPLY
Make a list of at least 3 crises/issues faced by the countries in Asia and the solutions taken by the
neighboring countries to combat these crises. Then answer the questions below.

Crisis/ Issue Countries involved Solution

Questions:

1. Did the manner of solving the crisis led to a greater integration among the Asian countries? Explain. 
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2. Suggest ways or initiatives that will promote a closer relationship between countries in Asia.
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Short Quiz
1. It refers to a political process characterized by economic policy cooperation and coordination among
countries. _________________
2. This is among the most powerful military organizations in the world established at the height of cold
war. _________________
3. It refers to social constructs that reflect certain perspectives and judgments in making particular groupings
based on geographically specified area. ____________________
4. What does ASEAN stand for?__________________________
5. Give one organization that was established to serve as a protection from the pressure of superpower
politics_________________