Black Sea Regionalism: Conceptual Foundations, Actors and Integration Dynamics

Abstract

Being the point of intersection between Europe and the Middle East, from the Eastern Balkans to the South Caucasus, not only in terms of important oil, gas, energy and trade routes, but also in terms of different cultures and civilizations, the Black Sea Region has always been a center of geostrategic importance, interests and activities of the main global and regional powers. Over the past decades, the distinctive feature of the Black Sea regionalism has been the diversity of integration initiatives and cooperation programs. On the one hand, it fosters the establishment and improvement of communication channels, institution-building process, and on the other hand, competing initiatives have a negative impact on regional development and on security environment in the Black Sea Region in general. The proposed article analyzes the experience of regional cooperation and regionalbuilding processes in the Black Sea region between 1991–2017. It deals with three interconnected aims. First, to provide theoretical frameworks regarding the concept of «region» and «regionalism». Second, to define internal and external actors in the Black Sea region — their interests and approaches towards the process of regionalism. Third, to analyze the Black Sea regionalism dynamics and factors that hinder the process of regional integration.