Essays on Global Regionalism II Will Regions Save the World?

This essay addresses the challenges posed by the post-Soviet region to comparative regionalism, critically analyzing its depiction in academic literature. While comparative regionalism has provided a valuable critique of EU-centric approaches to regional integration, it is essential to evaluate whether these analyses have transcended the liberal hegemonic framework that dominates much of the field. Post-Soviet Eurasia, with its diverse models of regional cooperation, presents a unique opportunity to explore alternative forms of integration that diverge from Western ideals. Although post-Soviet Eurasia often draws on European regional integration models, it fundamentally diverges in its principles and practices due to political pragmatism, as well as cultural, sociological, and historical factors. This divergence challenges regionalism theories, even within comparative analyses that, despite attempting to move beyond Eurocentrism, remain largely shaped by a liberal-democratic framework and fail to offer a sufficiently nuanced analysis of the region’s distinct characteristics. Post-Soviet Eurasia is conceptualized as a "black swan" in comparative regionalism—not as an anomaly to be dismissed. The region provides a critical lens for examining alternative models of regional cooperation within asymmetrical power structures, not driven by liberal democratic values but reflecting a new international order.