| Abstract [eng] |
This dissertation starts asking what regional orders emerge around actors with much greater power capabilities than their neighbors. Often, such neighborhoods are referred to as 'backyards' and characterized by tension and relationships of dominance, obedience, or resistance. Bearing in mind that we are currently living in a 'world of regions' with different 'old' and 'new' powers, it is important to understand whether the neighborhoods of all the major players in international relations look the same. By combining research on regional orders, regional powers, and differentiation theory, this dissertation proposes a new typology of regional orders that can inform the analysis and comparison of regional powers' strategies and existing regional orders. This framework's potential is demonstrated by applying it to the analysis of the Southern Neighborhood strategies (2014-2017) of the two Western powers – the US and the EU. The study demonstrates that the proposed model allows classifying regional orders according to both: the strength of the dominance of regional power and its willingness to contribute to the solution of shared regional problems. Moreover, the model finds that one dimension (dominance) does not necessarily correlate with the other (contribution). Thus, the developed typology helps to understand and compare different hierarchical regional arrangements. Moreover, it allows including areas and forms of cooperation that are relevant for different regions. The study also expands the application of differentiation in international relations theory and offers insights into the US and EU's differences and similarities as regional actors. |
