Eurasian Regionalisms and Russian Foreign Policy: (The International Political Economy of New Regionalisms Series)

Bridging foreign policy analysis and international political economy, this volume offers a new look at the problem of agency in comparative regional integration studies. It examines evolving regional integration projects in the Eurasian space, defined as the former Soviet Union countries and China, and the impact that Russian foreign policy has had on integration in the region. Mikhail Molchanov argues that new regionalism in Eurasia should be seen as a reactive response to contemporary challenges that these developing states face in the era of globalization. Regional integration in this part of the world treads the unknown waters and may not simply repeat the early steps in the evolution of the European Union. The question of a hegemonic leadership in particular, as exercised by a country that spearheads regional integration efforts, animates much of the discussion offered in the book. Moreover, Eurasian regionalisms are plural phenomena because of complementary and competing projects that engage the same, or partially overlapping, groups of countries. By combining foreign policy studies with an examination of the international political economy of regionalism in Eurasia the author furthers our understanding of new regionalism, both theoretically and empirically.

Table of Contents:
Contents: Studying regionalisms; Regionalist projects in Eurasia: from the CIS to the Eurasian Union; Russia’s foreign policy in the shadow of the empire; Russia and its partners: bilateralism, globalization, regionalism; Regionalism and politics of energy in Eurasia; The SCO and the Sino-Russian relationship; Regionalism and multivectorism in Eurasia: the case of Ukraine; Bibliography; Index.

About the Author :
Mikhail A. Molchanov is Professor and former Chair of the Department of Political Science at St. Thomas University, Canada. His research focuses on international relations in Eurasia and international political economy of regional integration. He is a Foreign Member of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine.

Review :
'An erudite and thought-provoking study of the nature of Eurasian regionalism and integration projects in the context of the evolving dynamics of Russian foreign policy. This is a challenging analysis that casts aside conventional interpretations and which is essential reading for anyone trying to understand the politics of contemporary Eurasia.' Richard Sakwa, University of Kent, UK '...provides much food for thought on how regional integration processes are shaping up the Eurasian space. Acknowledging that both the collapse of the U.S.S.R., as well as the current politics of energy, are paramount in understanding Eurasian integration, the author has combined a New Regionalism approach with a personal assessment of Russia's Foreign Policy.' Luk Van Langenhove, United Nations University, Belgium `An erudite and thought-provoking study of the nature of Eurasian regionalism and integration projects in the context of the evolving dynamics of Russian foreign policy. This is a challenging analysis that casts aside conventional interpretations and which is essential reading for anyone trying to understand the politics of contemporary Eurasia.’ Richard Sakwa, University of Kent, UK `…provides much food for thought on how regional integration processes are shaping up the Eurasian space. Acknowledging that both the collapse of the U.S.S.R., as well as the current politics of energy, are paramount in understanding Eurasian integration, the author has combined a New Regionalism approach with a personal assessment of Russia’s Foreign Policy.’ Luk Van Langenhove, United Nations University, Belgium