Regionalization is not a process of globalization.

Globalization and
regionalization are two different concepts with different definition, purpose
and effect. In most cases regionalization actually interferes with the
globalization process as it have a contradictory goal. As said in the module,
globalization promotes the integration of economies across state borders all
around the world. However, regionalization is obstructing this process as it is
dividing an area into smaller segments. Both have opposing goals and both
their processes actually intervenes with each other. To make a comparison,
you can think of regionalization and globalization as two game strategies.
The whole world is the setting and people from all countries involved are the
players. These players are employing these two strategies to show which one
is better and which strategy will allow their countries to develop faster and in
a steady way.
Instead of saying that regionalization is a process of globalization, it is
better to think of it as a concept just like globalization that has its own
definition and goals regarding each country’s and region’s economy.
Regionalization is just another process which concerns the rapid rising and
falling of economies. It is one way of showing how the world is evolving and
coping up with the all technological advancement and the increasing negative
and positive impacts of globalization.

An OBJECT A SUBJECT An ALTERNATIVE for

Globalization
1. Globalization in Asia 1. The region is more of an 1. The arguments from
Pacific and South Asia is autonomous agent serving this perspective see the
an external phenomenon as an engine for region as a source of
being pushed into the globalization. This view resistance to globalization
region by world powers, shows important ways in or to global or Western
particularly the United which the region is also powers. This section views
States and Europe. Or in influencing and initiatives for regionalism
simpler terms, it is a transforming the nature of through this lens in part
process which transform globalization itself. This because the rising critical
the Asia Pacific and South framework mirrors a discourse of globalization
Asia. broader intellectual change resonates in much of the
in scholarship that seeks to region and because the
re-interpret the facile idea of Asian
narrative that globalization exceptionalism has been
is simply a form of prevalent both historically
Westernization imposing and in contemporary times
itself upon Asia
2. Colonization starting in 2. Asia was the central 2. Proponents of Asian
the 1500s is also called as global force in the early values such as then-Prime
‘first globalization’. This modern world economy Minister Mohamed
event brought enormous, and not the West. For Mahathir of Malaysia
often devastating changes much of the early modern argued that Asia has
and had deep implications era, it was the site of the culturally distinct
for domestic political world’s most important characteristics that make it
structures in many local trade routes and in some different from Western
indigenous polities. places more liberal democracies. Lot of
Europeans brought new technologically advanced arguments were presented
economic practices, than the West in key areas as an evidence to show
religious beliefs, cultural such as science and just how different the Asian
values, and political medicine. Moreover, from Western Value is.
structures that changed colonies in the Asia Pacific
the region drastically. Even and South Asia and
places that did not elsewhere influenced the
experience colonial rule West as much as vice
decidedly had to deal with versa
the consequences of
Western influence
3. Economic globalization 3. In the post-colonial era, 3. Another way the region
and liberalization has the assertion that the Asia serves as an alternative to
arguably had other broad Pacific and South Asia are globalization is through the
regional effects as well. Inmere beneficiaries (or lens of regional
terms of working victims) of globalization is arrangements. Earlier, it
conditions in the Asia even less tenable. was noted that some
Pacific, a study by the Countries like Japan and regional institutions did
International Labor China were able to gain little to counter and even
Organization (ILO) advantage from this event expanded economic
highlights how labor and was able to rapidly globalization through their
practices are undergoing prosper. India, though did principles of ‘open
significant changes. not rapidly prosper like the regionalism’. However,
two countries but it there are other institutions
became a major source of proposed or implemented
international migrant labor, at the regional level that
which is also one of the are more exclusively and
fundamental self-consciously ‘Asian’.
characteristics of the era of
globalization along with
China.
4. Globalization is a form 4. One of the 4. Another, more
of cultural Westernization distinguishing features of subversive articulation of
summed up in the term regional institutions in Asia regionalism posed as an
‘McWorld’ and is leading to Pacific and South Asia has alternative to the West is
cultural homogenization been the adoption of ‘open the emergence of regional
and the destruction of regionalism’ which aims to terror networks, such as
cultural diversity. Western develop and maintain Jemaah Islamiyah or JI.
and particularly American cooperation with outside The alleged goals of JI are
cultural trends have spread actors. ‘Open’ refers to the territorial and also
globally and increasingly principle of non- regionalist, namely to
marginalize the way in discrimination, more create an Islamic state in
which local cultural specifically an openness in Indonesia followed by a
practices are expressed membership and openness pan-Islamic caliphate.
in terms of economic flows.
5. The relationship 5. The region is the source 5. There have been a
between globalization and of a wide variety of cultural variety of ways in which
the region of Asia Pacific phenomena that have also the Asia Pacific and South
and South Asia is as a spread outward to the Asia region can be seen
largely oneway process West and the rest of the also as a region that poses
whereby outside forces world. Globalization has an alternative to
have brought fundamental not been a one-way street. globalization. For the most
and far-reaching changes While there is little doubt part, these alternative
to the region, for better or that the Asia Pacific and paradigms are consciously
for worse, in ways that South Asia have very articulated alternatives to
would not have occurred much been on the external forces. Local
otherwise. receiving end of movements eschew global
globalization, it is also true capitalism, states push
that the region is back against the
generative of many perception of Western
aspects of the globalization imperialism, and religious
process. movements emerge from
the perceived threat of
secularism.