Regional hegemony

Regional hegemony is a concept in international relations which refers to the influence exercised over neighboring countries by an independently powerful nation, the regional hegemon. The relationship between regional hegemons and the other states within their spheres of influence is analogous to the relationship between a global hegemon and the other states in the international system.

The prominent international relations scholar John Mearsheimer writes extensively about the pursuit of regional hegemony in his book, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics. According to his theory, known as offensive realism, the anarchic nature of the international system, the desire for survival, and the uncertainty about other states intentions ultimately lead states to pursue regional hegemony. According to Mearsheimer, global hegemony is an unattainable goal; instead, a state which has achieved the level of regional hegemon will then work to prevent the development of peer competitors in other regions.

Contemporary examples

Contemporary examples are often politically sensitive or arguable. Often analysis of regional hegemons are based on a specific context or perspective which renders their identification subjective.

• China in East Asia
• The United States in the Americas.^[1]
• Brazil,^[2][3][4][5] Mexico ^[6][7] and Argentina ^[8][9][10] in Latin America.
• Egypt and Saudi Arabia in the Arabic-speaking world.
• Ethiopia and Kenya in the Horn of Africa and East Africa.^[11]
• India^[12] in South Asia.
• Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam in Southeast Asia^[13]
• Australia in the South Pacific
• Nigeria and Ghana in West Africa.
• South Africa in Southern Africa^[14]
• Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Iran in West Asia^[1][15]
• Russia in the non-EU parts of the former Soviet Union.
• France, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy and to a lesser extent Poland and Spain in the European Union
• Algeria and Morocco in the Maghreb.

See also

• Middle power
• Regional power
• Great power
• Hegemony

Further reading

• David J. Myers. 1991. Regional Hegemons: Threat Perception and Strategic Response. ISBN 978-0-8133-8155-8
• David R. Mares. 1988. "Middle Powers under Regional Hegemony: To Challenge or Acquiesce in Hegemonic Enforcement." International Studies Quarterly. 32(4):453-471.
• William Zimmerman. 1978. "Hierarchical Regional Systems and the Politics of System Boundaries." International Organization. 26(1):18-36.

References

External links

• Challenges to U.S. Global and Regional Hegemony and Implications for the Post-Cold War International System (University of Illinois Conference)