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Euroregions in Comparative Perspective MEW

Euroregions in Comparative Perspective MEW.

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Euroregions in Comparative Perspective MEW

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  1. Euroregions in Comparative PerspectiveMEW

  2. “Although the stateremains the dominant actor in the organisation and execution of political and economic activities in Europe today, other actors, including the European Union (EU), regional entities, and nongovermental organizations, now play an important role in the organization of society and space in the ‘New Europe.’ ” (p. 422) …but the SCALES are much more diverse than just “state”…they include a wider range both WITHIN countries and across borders—the theme of REGION! HYPOTHESIS/MAIN IDEA FROM ARTICLE(1) When most of us view issues on a GLOBAL SCALE, we compare country vs. country…

  3. HYPOTHESIS/MAIN IDEA FROM ARTICLE(2) EXAMPLE: Should the EU adopt a constitution? Are the people citizens of… *a country/state?* a nation?* a region (EUROREGION?)*a transnational alliance (EU?) EU started out as an ECONOMIC alliance  NAFTA…but has become a SOCIAL and LEGAL entity as well! “Europe’s evolving political-territorial order has attracted considerable scholarly attention … concerned with the nature of sovereignty, and the changing nature of boundaries. [C]ommentators have tried to understand not only the functions and political implications of these new structures but also what they mean for the people affected by them.” (p. 422) Some political scientists have even envisioned “A United States of Europe” as the EU continues to increase its influence and acceptance. Mini case study = THE EURO!

  4. HYPOTHESIS/MAIN IDEA FROM ARTICLE(3) “[T]his chapter offers a comparative analysis … of so-called Euroregions: … at the heart of the EU where the Dutch, German, and Belgian borders meet (the Euregio Meuse-Rhin) and at the edge of the EU where the German, Polish, and Czech borders meet (the Euro-region Nysa.” (p. 423)

  5. 2 Euro-regions in this article... Meuse-Rhin Euro-region Nysa Euro-region

  6. Brief History Of Euro-Regions In other words…EURO-REGIONS mirror the concept of NATION! • 1958 = 1st Euro-region • now there are 15 formal Euro-Regions • each one has • council • presidium • secretariat • several working groups “Located along the margins of states, Euro-regions are designed to enhance the economic and political significance of border areas within the larger European milieu, while undermining the arbitrary divisions among peoples that so often are the product of political boundary drawing. … [T]he objective is to create a ‘we-feeling’ that transcends national boundaries and to assist in the implementation of a ‘Europe of Citizens’ . “ (p. 425)

  7. A complaint(s?)!  • Euro-regions are all-too-often ignored by political scientists and political geographers. • We continue to focus on STATES. • We continue to focus on INTERSTATE phenomena. (EU, UN, NATO, etc.) • We continue to focus on INTRASTATE phenomena. (voting patterns in country, etc.) • We continue to focus on NATIONS. (cultural elements such as language are often mapped) • Instead, studying Euro-regions allows us to compare and contrast the inter-locking dynamics of culture, politics, and geography at much closerSCALES!

  8. ..but Euro-Regions should NOT be ignored! Instead, studying Euro-regions allows us to compare and contrast the inter-locking dynamics of culture, politics, and geography at much closer SCALES! WHICH ANALOGY GIVES US A MORE CLEARLY DEFINED WINDOW INTO THE CONCEPT OF “HUE?”

  9. An aspect of our body of knowledge which is “forgotten”…. Euro-regions provide us with a way to re-focus our attention on "ignored" aspects. Too much attention is paid to the STATE, both INTERstate and INTRAstate.

  10. ANOTHER way to see how “scale” changes our perspectives… Terrorism and History of Human Warfare • “unseen” enemy • transnational nature of terrorism organizations • INTRAstate terror

  11. Quick! Construct a thesis! Using the concepts of “state” and “nation,” construct a thesis statement (suitable for a doctoral thesis!) which addresses the unique aspects of a Euro-region.

  12. MEW’s IDEA Given their unique history and geo-cultural proximity, Euro-regions vividly illustrate complex social, political, economic, and geographical patterns. Rather than focusing only on the contemporary divisions amongst states or on the more fluid boundaries amongst nations, an in-depth study of Euro-regions can address both the concept of “state” and “nation” more vividly as the smaller scale of such an investigation affords greater attention to specific detail.

  13. MEW’s IDEA Given their unique history and geo-cultural proximity, Euro-regions vividly illustrate complex social, political, economic, and geographical patterns. Rather than focusing only on the contemporary divisions amongst states or on the more fluid boundaries amongst nations, an in-depth study of Euro-regions can address both the concept of “state” and “nation” more vividly as the smaller scale of such an investigation affords greater attention to specific detail.

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