History of regional integrations

This graduate course addresses several questions. Why the number of regional integration schemes around the world has multiplied in the last decades, often with consequences as important as (or more important than) those wrought by global factors. Is there a way to explain the proliferation of regional integration schemes? Why do states participate in several forms of regional integration instead of pursuing multilateral or global integration? Why can we observe such a variety of institutional forms in regional integration?

The approach will be historical, we will explore causes and consequences of regional integration phenomena and examples and we will include a comparative study of several regional integration schemes.

This course's methodological approach will privilege: a critical examination of the most qualified trends in historiography, a rigorous analysis of the available primary sources (e.g. treaties, negotiations and s.o.). The course will enable students to apply their knowledge to the analysis of the complex processes of regional integration of the past and present times.

The students will prepare and submit a 15-page research paper before the end of the second part of the course. All papers will be discussed in class.

L'approccio metodologico di questo corso privilegerà un esame critico dei più qualificati filoni storiografici e una rigorosa analisi delle fonti primarie disponibili (cioè trattati, negoziati, documenti diplomatici ecc.). Il corso metterà gli studenti in grado di applicare la loro conoscenza alla comprensione del complesso reticolo di processi di integrazione regionale, passati e attualmente in corso.