Specialised Themes
Thèmes Spécialisés

9. Regions and regionalisation
9. Régions et régionalisation

Tuesday, 8 August, 9:00-12:00
Mardi 8 août de 9h à 12h

Building A, Auditorium 2

Organiser:
Einar Niemi, Norway

Discussant:
Pierangelo Schiera, Italy

Introduction:
The later years have seen not only a fervid scholarly debate on nationalism, but also on regionalism and regionalisation, with focus on the region as geopolitical concept. The region is of course not a late modern invention, nor historical studies of it. Its roots are e.g. to be found in German, French and American historical research in the nineteenth century; in many countries historical work on the region has in the twentieth century developed into a specialised discipline. However, the last few decades regional studies have been innovated, partly as a product of the new focus on nationalism and the obvious affinities and relations there are between these two phenomenons, partly as an outcome of the political debates and processes in the European Union, as well as in other parts of the world, in which regional co-operation is regarded as important, as a tool for political and economic integration.

There are in particular three main questions which will be studied in the papers presented in the session. Firstly, what is a region? The typology includes a wide range of varieties, as to territoriality as well as to functions and ideology. Typology will be discussed both theoretically and empirically. Secondly, what are the relations between state and region? The relations may develop through historical phases; often there are tensions between centre, represented by state authorities, and periphery, represented by regionalism; in other cases the picture may be more harmonious. Thirdly, what is the nature of regionalism and the building of regions? Its aims as well as methods may differ from case to case; sometimes there is a separatistic dimension with it, in other cases region building and nation building merge.

The papers to be presented during the session represent case studies covering national as well as international cases. Professor Hans Jürgen Puhle, J. W. Goethe University, will discuss regions, regionalism and regionalisation in the twentieth century Europe. Professor Robert Johnston, Yale University, will focus on regional history in the United States, while Professor Gerald Friesen, University of Manitoba, will discuss the character of Canadian regionalism and Dr. Wim Klooster, Harvard University/University of Leiden, transnationalism and regionalism in the Caribbean in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Africa will be represented with two papers, those of Dr. Martin Zachery Njeuma, University of Buea, on Northern Cameroon identity and Professor Anthony I. Asiwaju, University of Lagos, on "transfrontier regionalism" in post colonial Africa. The Nordic countries' contribution will consist of three studies, on the region of Karelia "between East and West" by Professor Antti Laine, University of Joensuu, on Northern Norway by Professor Hallvard Tjelmeland, University of Tronlsø, and on Jutland, by Professor Steen Bo Frandsen, University of Aarhus/the Danish Academy, Rome.

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Papers:

Specialised Theme 8
Thème Spécialisé 8
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Specialised Theme 10
Thème Spécialisé 10