The rise and fall of open regionalism? Comparative reflections on regional governance in the Southern Cone of Latin America.

This article argues that the original framework of 'open regionalism' underpinning the Mercosur is petering out, and consequently the regional governance project in the Southern Cone is undergoing a process of redefinition. The article seeks to understand the nature of this redefinition, and contend...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Third World Quarterly Vol. 24; no. 2; pp. 217 - 235
Main Author: Phillips, Nicola
Format: Article
Published: Taylor & Francis Ltd Apr2003
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Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
Description
Summary:This article argues that the original framework of 'open regionalism' underpinning the Mercosur is petering out, and consequently the regional governance project in the Southern Cone is undergoing a process of redefinition. The article seeks to understand the nature of this redefinition, and contends that this task requires a re-orientation of some of the prevalent ways in which the study of regionalism is approached. Specifically, it highlights the limitations of an understanding of regionalism merely as a reflection of domestic processes, and instead argues for a greater attention to processes of regionalisation and their complex relationship with both regionalism and domestic political economy.