Regional powers and comparative regionalism

This chapter surveys the past, present and future of the interplay regional power and comparative regionalism from a regional powers research perspective in the security issue-area. The chapter analyses the issues, debates and controversies around the study of regional powers and comparative regionalism in the security policy field. It detects how the regional powers and comparative regionalism have at times evolved in separate ways, despite their overlaps and potential synergies. The chapter then moves on to analyse the current challenges in the research on regional powers. It is claimed that the theoretical and methodological pluralism of comparative regionalism can revitalise and broaden the regional powers research agenda. Finally, the chapter suggests new thematic issues for future research and how the comparative regionalism literature, especially that on regional governance, can enrich the research tradition on regional powers within the issue-area of security.