Building Regions

Dr. Luk Van Langenhove is Director of the Comparative Regional Integration Studies Institute of the United Nations University (UNU-CRIS,), Belgium

• Introduction; Chapter 1 A World of States; Chapter 2 Unthinking the World of States; Chapter 3 The Social Constructions of Regions; Chapter 4 Varieties of Regional Integration; Chapter 5 Towards a Regional World Order?;

'Luk Van Langenhove puts forward an innovative theory drawn from social constructivism to explain one of the most significant developments in contemporary international relations - the regionalization of world order. In doing so, he has produced an important comparative study that will be of interest to students of regionalism in all parts of the world.' John Ravenhill, Australian National University, Australia 'This is an impressive attempt to develop what Van Langenhove calls a "social constructionist" theory of regions built on discursive, realist and functionalist perspectives. What gives this book its innovative product differentiation in a crowded field is that the author places regional integration and regional devolution under one theoretical umbrella. Building Regions is an original exercise in theorizing regions.' Richard Higgott, University of Warwick, UK 'Van Langenhove provides us with a timely and challenging contribution to the debate on how and why sovereign states create different forms of regional governance. In doing so he illustrates the importance of the European integration experience as a response to the forces of globalization and the shift to multipolarity that are currently changing the world. Building Regions is a highly recommendable read for all those who want to better understand the complex interactions between sovereign states, supranational regional organizations and subnational regions in our 21st century world.' Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council 'The strength of this volume lies in its challenge to state centric conceptualisations of the international system and its disaggregation of the region along the interesting axes (i.e. as rational systems with statehood features performing intentional acts which are reciprocated and generative of identity [pp. 81-8]). This return to a comprehensive view of regions’ domain coverage fits in with recent trends.' Political Studies Review