South Asian Regionalism

The Limits of Cooperation

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Tracing the origins and evolution of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation and explaining its outcome and effects, this book draws lessons about the dynamics of regionalism. Engaging key IR perspectives, it charts the limits of regional cooperation and calls for fresh perspectives on the issue.

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Leading South Asia expert Bhumitra Chakma explains the politics of regionalism in South Asia and traces the origins and evolution of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) from its inception to the present day.

He takes an International Relations perspective and engages three major IR theoretical approaches – neorealism, institutionalism and constructivism – to explain the complex dynamics of South Asian regionalism.

Using comparative perspectives based on the experiences of similar regional organizations, the author provides an in-depth analysis of the challenges of cooperation in the region and explores how progress might be made in the future.

Bhumitra Chakma is Senior Lecturer and Director of the South Asia Project at the University of Hull.

Author/Editor details at time of book publication.