Regionalism and a Long Quest for Regional Identity in Central Asia

The question of ordering and ‘governing the globe’ in a way to meet the challenges faced by humankind is central to contemporary discussions of international relations. A vision of world order based on regions has a prominent place in this debate. Stemming from the debate on regional integration initiatives in Europe and other parts of the world since the 1950s, this vision is seen as an alternative to world order based on power polarity, and as a political vision carrying responses to globalisation challenges. For studying the “emerging regional architecture of world politics”, scholars call for a comprehensive approach that should include normative and constructivist factors alongside considerations of economic or geopolitical motivations.