The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Regionalism.

• Author: Semsit, Suhal
• Position: Book review

The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Regionalism

Edited by Tanja A. Borzel and Thomas Risse

Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016, 677 pages, [pounds sterling]95, ISBN: 9780199682300

The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Regionalism, edited by Tanja A. Borzel and Thomas Risse, starts with questioning the need for "another handbook" (p. 3) dedicated to comparative regionalism. While answering this question with increasing occurrence of the concepts of European integration and regional integration in Google Books since 1950 (p. 4), 38 authors with distinguished expertise in various fields of international politics contribute to the volume. The volume, particularly addressing regional integration beyond Europe, sets to provide a comprehensive outlook for regionalism, regionalisation and regional governance in a comparative perspective.

The volume is structured in four parts besides an introductory part and a conclusion part. "Introduction" part involves two chapters. Chapter one, by Borzel and Risse, sets the stage for readers by re-conceptualising the framework for regionalism studies. Region, regionalism, regionalization, regional order, regional governance are discussed under a novel insight. Chapter two, by Fredrik Soderbaum, provides essentials for understanding the intellectual and scholarly development of the field in historical perspective through the phases of early, old, new and beyond new regionalism. "Part I" examines the approaches to comparative regionalism throughout four chapters. Chapter three, by Tanja A. Borzel, gives a solid theoretical background for regionalism by showing how mainstream theories of regional cooperation and integration relate to "quantity and quality of regionalism" (p. 41). Etel Solingen and Joshua Malnight, in chapter four, clarify the interlinkages between globalization, domestic politics and regional orders. In chapter five, Thomas Risse looks into diffusion mechanisms (indirect and direct) of regionalism throughout the world. Amitav Acharya takes regionalism debate beyond European Union centrism in chapter six.

"Part II" involves seven chapters exemplifying regional orders around the world. Francesco Duina focuses on North America and the transatlantic area in chapter seven. In chapter eight, Andrea C. Bianculli takes readers to regionalism case of Latin America. Chapter nine, by Frank Schimmelfennig, elaborates on the pioneering case of European regional integration. Chapter ten, by Kathleen J. Hancock...