Regional Integration as a Conflict Management Strategy in the Balkans and South Caucasus (Research Brief)

There is much enthusiasm among researchers and policy-makers alike concerning the pacifying effects of trade and broader interdependence among states. The European Union is an often cited example of greater regional integration as a way to enhance peace and security among neighboring states. This comparative regional study draws from the cases of the Balkans and South Caucasus in order (1) to offer a descriptive account of patterns and processes of regionalism in politically divided conflict areas, and (2) to examine the extent to which such regional engagement can positively affect ongoing conflict management efforts in a given conflict region. The study advocates promoting regional structures as a new and potentially effective approach to peace-building and security enhancement, toward managing the many 'frozen conflicts' both in the Balkans as well as in the South Caucasus.

Anna Ohanyan, of Stonehill College, was a 2011-2012 Individual Advanced Research Opportunities (IARO) fellow.