Podcast: Regionalisation and the Baltic Sea Region
Listen to a podcast about when and why states in and around the Baltic Sea have worked together for economic, social or geopolitical reasons, with a focus on Poland.
After the end of the Cold War, regional initiatives like the Council of the Baltic Sea States sprung up to keep Russia around the table and as a vehicle to work collectively towards common aims, inspired at least in part by Nordic regional institutions. But are such initiatives still as important now Russia no longer plays a part in them?
In this podcast, Nicola Witcombe, editor of nordics.info, talks to researchers Damian Szacawa and Jakub Olchowski about regionalization in international relations and whether it can still be useful after the invasion of Ukraine. Damian and Jakub are both political scientists at the Department of International Relations, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Poland, and from Institute of Central Europe in Lublin (a state think tank). It was recorded in September 2023.
In this podcast, you will also hear:
- A definition of regionalization and its advantages.
- A brief overview of the historical relationship between Poland and Ukraine from the 1800s to today.
This podcast was recorded in September 2023 as part of the Young People Network for Balticness summer school.
Further reading:
- B. M. Russet, 'Delineating International Regions', In: J. D. Singer, Ch. F. Alger, eds, Quantitative International Politics: Insights and Evidence, Free Press: New York (1968) pp. 317-352.
- Damian Szacawa, The Council of the Baltic Sea States: regional cooperation in times of Russia's invasion of Ukraine (Institute of Central Europe/IES Commentaries; 28 June 2023).
- Damian Szacawa, Kazimierz Musiał, eds., 'The Baltic Sea Region after Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine', Institute of Central Europe, IEŚ Policy Papers 11/2022.
- Louise Fawcett, 'Exploring Regional Domains: A Comparative History of Regionalism.' International Affairs (Royal Institute of International Affairs 1944) JSTOR, 80, 3 (2004) pp. 429–46.
