Archive · 11 Sep 2026
How Geography, Identity, and Power Shape Regional Order
A region is more than a place drawn on a map.
It can also be shaped by shared culture, identity, politics, and institutions.
Africa is an example of a geographic region, while the Arab world is a cultural region.
Some scholars focus on regions as places where people and institutions act.
Others focus on how people experience and give meaning to their territory.
Nationalism and powerful countries can help create regional groupings.
Smaller countries may cooperate to protect themselves from stronger outside powers.
ASEAN was formed partly to reduce outside interference, while the Indo-Pacific idea is often discussed in relation to China.
The article says conflict, militarism, populism, and weaker international rules are making regional cooperation more difficult.
Regions are defined not only by geography but also by shared identity, politics, institutions, and territorial relationships.
Geographers emphasize spatial relationships, scale, and how people and institutions interact with territory.
International relations scholars often view regions as institutional action units shaped by nationalism and great-power politics.
ASEAN emerged partly to limit external domination, while the Indo-Pacific concept is linked to balancing China.
The article argues that militarism, populism, and weakening international rules are challenging regionalism.
- Who
- Geographers, international relations scholars, states, regional institutions, and major powers including the United States and China.
- What
- An analysis of how regions are defined and how nationalism, great-power competition, and institutions shape regionalism.
- When
- The discussion refers to current geopolitical developments, including the US-Israel war on Iran, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the BRICS summit scheduled for September 12 and 13.
- Where
- West Asia, the Indo-Pacific, Europe, the Western Hemisphere, Southeast Asia, and the wider international system.
- Why
- The article examines whether regions are simply geographical spaces or are also formed by shared identity, common interests, political power, and institutional rules.
Geographic and Social View
Institutional and Political View
What defines a region?
Geographic and Social View
A region is primarily understood through spatial relationships, scale, physical features, and how communities experience and give meaning to territory.
Institutional and Political View
A region is primarily an action unit shaped by institutions, political cooperation, shared interests, and rules.
How regions emerge
Geographic and Social View
Shared cultural or territorial identities can give geographical spaces meaning, as with Africa or the Arab world.
Institutional and Political View
Nationalism and great-power politics can turn geographical spaces into political networks or spheres of influence.
Future of regionalism
Geographic and Social View
Regional cooperation can be strengthened by shared identity and common interests among states.
Institutional and Political View
Militarism, populism, weakened international rules, and shifting great-power strategies may undermine regional institutions.
- Core definition
- A region is an area or territorial unit defined by geographical, cultural, and institutional features.
- Geographical elements
- Spatial relationships, issues of scale, and relationships between subjects and their territory.
- Institutional forces
- Nationalism and great-power politics helped shape regions as institutional arrangements or networks.
- ASEAN’s purpose
- Its original five members sought to reduce manipulation and domination by external powers.
- Indo-Pacific debate
- The concept is widely discussed in connection with balancing China, but a more accommodative US approach toward China has prompted debate.
- Current threats
- Militarism, populism, and the weakening of the rules-based international order are presented as challenges to regionalism.
- BRICS summit
- The 18th BRICS summit is described as being hosted by India on September 12 and 13.