Regionalization of the World

Pierre Beckouche is Professor of Geography at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, France. His research focuses on economic geography, the regionalization of globalization and trans-Mediterranean relations. He has chaired the Scientific Council of the GIS "Collège International des Sciences du Territoire". Yann Richard is Professor of Geography at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, France. His research focuses on the spatial dynamics of the margins of the former USSR, regional integration, the European Union, and war as part of the Sorbonne War Studies project.

Introduction xiii
Pierre BECKOUCHE and Yann RICHARD

Chapter 1 From Regional Geography to the Geography of Regionalization 1
Pierre BECKOUCHE and Yann RICHARD

1.1 Introduction 1

1.2 19th and 20th centuries: the hesitant paths of regionalization between intra-state regions and continents 2

1.2.1 The legacy of the 18th century 2

1.2.2 Vidal and the vidalians: lifestyles, cities and circulation 2

1.3 20th century: an early but timid emergence of the world 4

1.3.1 The world as a chessboard 4

1.3.2 The inter-war period: decline of Europe, the European region, Triad 5

1.3.3 After World War II: global regions at last? 6

1.3.4 The 1980s: the world as a system 8

1.4 The turn of the 20th/21st century: relations between geographers and other disciplines are almost one way 8

1.4.1 Economics reformulates the regional equation 9

1.4.2 Trendy regionalism and multidisciplinary necessity 9

1.4.3 Contributions and aporias of the civilizational paradigm 11

1.5 References 12

Chapter 2 The Regionalization of Migration 17
Camille SCHMOLL

2.1 Introduction 17

2.2 Regionalization: main characteristics 18

2.2.1 A global trend… 18

2.2.2 …particularly strong in Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa 19

2.2.3 Contrasting developments 20

2.2.4 The share of forced migration 21

2.3 The region: a relational space, crossed by intense circulation 22

2.3.1 Naming and describing the regionalization of migration From the field to the migration system 22

2.3.2 The region "from below": a circulatory territory 23

2.4 The political dimension: a crucial aspect for understanding the structuring of migrant regions 24

2.4.1 From the migration system to the migration regime, a strong political connotation 24

2.4.2 The double European migration regime 25

2.5 Conclusion: the power of proximity 25

2.6 References 26

Chapter 3 Energy Supply: Comparison of Regional Experiences 29
Angélique PALLE

3.1 Introduction 29

3.2 Francophone approaches and determining factors of regional energy integration 30

3.2.1 Approaches to francophone geography 30

3.2.2 The determining factors of regional energy integration, a process combining several layers 31

3.3 Regional energy integration models and the challenge of ecological transition 33

3.3.1 Comparison of international energy integration dynamics and typology 33

3.3.2 Is energy integration a response to the ecological transition? 36

3.4 Conclusion 37

3.5 References 38

Chapter 4 Transport Systems and Regional Integration 43
Antoine BEYER

4.1 Introduction 43

4.2 Transport and circulation: key variables in the partition models of the world into large civilizational groups 44

4.2.1 A global trend… 44

4.3 Globalized transport and hierarchical rearrangement of regional units 46

4.4 Continental transport corridors, at the heart of regional integration projects 52

4.5 The difficulty of measuring the knock-on effects of transport corridors on regional economies 55

4.6 TEN-T: political leverage for European integration 56

4.7 Towards a regionalization of international transport law? 58

4.8 Conclusion: the multidimensional construction of regional integrations through the lens of transport systems 62

4.9 References 63

Chapter 5 The Regionalization-Globalization Pair: A Reading of the Evolution of World Trade 67
Gilles VAN HAMME

5.1 Introduction 67

5.2 A methodology for analyzing regional and global dynamics 69

5.3 The main lessons learned 71

5.3.1 A regional organization of exchanges 71

5.3.2 The deglobalization of the 2010s? 73

5.3.3 What are the driving forces of these refocusing processes? 76

5.4 Towards a reinterpretation of the regionalization-globalization dynamics 77

5.4.1 From the migration regime, a strong political connotation 77

5.5 Conclusion: a look at the production of francophone geography on these issues 78

5.6 Appendix 79

5.7 References 80

Chapter 6 Stock Market Activity and the Regionalization Process 83
Maude SAINTEVILLE

6.1 Introduction 83

6.2 Regionalization in the practices of stock exchange activities: the case of cross-border listings 84

6.2.1 Observing the regionalization of cross-border listings in the context of stock exchange activities 84

6.2.2 Explaining regionalization through relational preferences 86

6.2.3 Regionalization in the face of the 2007-2008 financial crisis 86

6.3 Regionalization in the organization of the stock exchange activity: the construction of stock exchange groups 87

6.3.1 The choice of regionalization for the organization of stock exchange groups? 87

6.3.2 Regionalization favored by regional integration: the case of stock market activity within the European Union 93

6.4 What role for regionalization in the evolution of stock market activity? 94

6.5 Conclusion: the power of proximity 96

6.6 References 97

Chapter 7 The Runet, a Region of Cyberspace? 99
Kevin LIMONIER

7.1 Introduction 99

7.2 From the cultural to the political Runet: appropriation of the "upper layers" of cyberspace 101

7.3 Control and dependencies on the lower layers of cyberspace 105

7.4 Conclusion 108

7.5 References 109

Chapter 8 Security Regions: A Heterogeneous World Between Conflicts and Cooperation 111
Emmanuel CHAUVIN

8.1 Introduction 111

8.2 Regional security cooperation: globalization and diversification 112

8.2.1 Security, the basis of regional construction 112

8.2.2 Security for the regions: from defense to human security 114

8.2.3 Regional security architectures: a variety of styles 117

8.3 Realities and myths of the regionalization of insecurity 118

8.3.1 Regional violence training 119

8.3.2 Insecurities that recompose regions 120

8.3.3 Imaginary figures of regional insecurities 121

8.4 Conclusion 122

8.5 References 123

Chapter 9 African Integration in All Its Forms 127
Géraud MAGRIN and Olivier NINOT

9.1 Introduction 127

9.2 Regional paper integrations? 128

9.2.1 Slow progress in regional integration 128

9.2.2 Africa's regions as seen from the outside 131

9.3 African trade from below 132

9.3.1 Historical relational areas that replay in the present 133

9.3.2 The ambiguous potential of national peripheries 133

9.3.3 The other side of the border 134

9.4 Artifact-centered regionalizations 135

9.4.1 International corridors: a tool for extraversion or support for regional markets? 136

9.4.2 Environmental integration? 137

9.5 Conclusion 138

9.6 References 139

Contents ix

Chapter 10 Europe, a Geographical Puzzle (A) 145
Etienne TOUREILLE, Antoine LAPORTE and Claude GRASLAND

10.1 Introduction 145

10.2 The various definitions of Europe 146

10.2.1 Europe captured by the EU: the institutional tropism 146

10.2.2 Europe-continent: a cumbersome ethnocentrism 149

10.2.3 The geographer's Europe: a whole to be (de)constructed, to be regionalized 152

10.3 Finding the limits of Europe 153

10.3.1 A plurality of approaches 153

10.3.2 Limitations and perspectives 156

10.3.3 Some ideas for reflection: returning to the deeper meaning of regionalization 157

10.4 Conclusion: the geography of Europe, a psychoanalytical exercise for Europeans 159

10.4.1 A necessarily plural and complex object 160

10.4.2 Dividing the world into regions: a way to find our place in it 160

10.5 References 161

Chapter 11 Three Exercises in the Regionalization of Europe 167
Antoine LAPORTE, Etienne TOUREILLE and Claude GRASLAND

11.1 Introduction: the search for Europe and three tracks for its quest 167

11.2 Embassy networks in the world and the renewed place of European states 169

11.3 Europe through the titles of regional IGOs: a perspective from Turkey 172

11.4 Europe and world regions in the French national daily press (2013-2020) 176

11.5 Conclusion: Europe and the European Union, a complex and ever-changing landscape 182

11.6 References 183

Chapter 12 The Arctic, a (Macro)Region under Construction? 185
Camille ESCUDÉ and Frédéric LASSERRE

12.1 Introduction 185

12.2 The Arctic, a self-proclaimed region? The notion of region mobilized (or not) by the Arctic actors 187

12.2.1 Belonging to the Arctic, previously politically mobilized 187

12.2.2 Other minimal forms of belonging: economic, autonomous, scientific 188

12.3 A region built mainly from above: institutional regionalism draws the boundaries of a contested region 189

12.3.1 Protecting the environment: a pillar of regional integration 189

12.3.2 External actors attempt to expand the political boundaries of the region 191

12.4 Building a functional Arctic region from below? 194

12.4.1 The weak regionalization of activities 195

12.4.2 Regionalization of trade on a larger scale: the example of the Barents region 197

12.5 Conclusion 199

12.6 References 201

Chapter 13 North America: An Asymmetric Regional Integration 207
Christian GIRAULT

13.1 Introduction 207

13.2 The region of great spaces 207

13.2.1 A region long isolated on the world map 208

13.2.2 A very simple political map 209

13.3 The three partner states in North America 209

13.3.1 The wars of the 19th century, the affirmation of modern nations and the delicate regional theme 209

13.3.2 American hegemony over strategic control of the region 211

13.3.3 Neighborhood, technical and diplomatic cooperation: progress throughout the 21st century 212

13.4 What kind of integration is taking place in North America? 213

13.4.1 The consequences of NAFTA are irreversible 214

13.4.2 An agreement badly affected by September 11 and cartels, but eventually solid 216

13.4.3 The renegotiation of NAFTA under Donald Trump 216

13.4.4 The reality of population integration and ideological battles over migration 217

13.5 Conclusion: the dilemmas of hyperpower in international competition 219

13.6 References 220

Chapter 14 Latin American Integrations 223
Sébastien VELUT

14.1 Introduction 223

14.2 Naming a large region to integrate it 224

14.3 National and regional integrations 226

14.4 Advances and impasses of contemporary political projects 230

14.5 True integration by the actors 233

14.6 Conclusion: the meaning of integration 235

14.7 References 236

Chapter 15 The People's Republic of China: Regional Pre-eminence as a Mirror of its Global Power 241
Thierry SANJUAN and Karine HENRIOT

15.1 Introduction 241

15.2 From regional integration to the construction of its own regional mechanism 242

15.2.1 Breaking out of isolation 243

15.2.2 Economic integration 244

15.2.3 Building a regional environment of your own 244

15.3 The territories of integration in Asia 245

15.3.1 The territories of the Chinese opening 246

15.3.2 Border regulations 247

15.3.3 Chinese territories of integration outside the Mainland 247

15.3.4 Regional cooperation and security 248

15.4 Projection in Asia and regional tensions 248

15.4.1 International events in Asia 249

15.4.2 "Compatriots" and the Chinese overseas 249

15.4.3 Growing regional tensions 250

15.4.4 The ambivalence of a differentiated discourse between Asian power and world power 251

15.5 Conclusion: the power of proximity 252

15.6 References 253

Chapter 16 Southeast Asia, a Region? 255
Nathalie FAU

16.1 Introduction 255

16.2 Regional integration as a tool for international recognition 256

16.2.1 From an exogenous regional name to the construction of ASEAN 256

16.2.2 The difficult emergence of a Southeast Asian community 257

16.2.3 The centrality of ASEAN 258

16.3 Reconciling regional integration and integration into globalization 259

16.3.1 An externally driven economic integration dynamic 259

16.3.2 Re-engineering Southeast Asia by improving regional connectivity 260

16.3.3 The privileged territories of regional integration 262

16.4 Between risk of dilution and disintegration 264

16.4.1 China, a factor in the disintegration of Southeast Asia? 264

16.4.2 A proliferation of regionalization projects larger than Southeast Asia 265

16.5 Conclusion: the power of proximity 267

16.6 References 268

Conclusion 273
Pierre BECKOUCHE and Yann RICHARD

List of Authors 281

Index 283