Product Description
by Frank Mattheis (Editor), Andréas Litsegård (Editor)
Describes a substantial impact upon the scientific understanding of interregionalism, and its political meaning
Sees the Atlantic as a promising intersection of North-North, South-South and North-South cooperation
Offers a comprehensive and holistic approach towards the study of interregionalism
Back Jacket
This book focuses on interregional relations across the Atlantic and the possible evolution of a new, distinctive Atlantic space for international relations. It provides a comprehensive insight into the overlapping linkages of interregionalism in the wider Atlantic space. Additionally, it raises the question of relevance, currently the main question in this field of research: Is interregionalism important because it brings about something new that really matters or is it simply a (perhaps unavoidable) by-product of regionalism? The book conducts an analysis of six interregional relations criss-crossing the Atlantic space, accounting for the multitude of interregional connections within a potential Atlantic macro region and analysing the differences, conflicts and convergences between regional organizations. It engages with the issue of agency in interregional relations, and argues that interregional processes and agendas are always driven and constructed by certain actors for certain purposes.
Author Biography
Frank Mattheis is Senior Researcher at the Centre for the Study of Governance Innovation (GovInn) at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He works on processes that challenge established perceptions of sovereignty and territoriality, in particular regionalism and interregionalism.
At GovInn he has coordinated a work package for the EU-funded FP7-project ATLANTIC FUTURE, which led to the editorship of this book. With a postdoctoral fellowship by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) he currently focuses on the South Atlantic as a space for regional and interregional reconfigurations. Prior, he was senior research fellow at the Centre for Area Studies at the University of Leipzig (Germany), where he receive his Dr. phil. in Global Studies.
Andréas Litsegård (formerly Godsäter) is Senior lecturer at the School of Global Studies at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, where he teaches International Relations, and an Associate fellow at theCentre for the Study of Governance Innovation (GovInn), University of Pretoria. He holds a PhD in peace and development research from the University of Gothenburg. His research interests concern regionalism, governance, civil society, democracy, development cooperation, environmental issues and migration with a geographical focus on Africa.
