RECONCEPTUALIZING REGIONALISM: GEOPOLITICAL SHIFTS AND STRATEGIC REALIGNMENTS IN CENTRAL ASIA AND THE GLOBAL SOUTH

Abstract

In recent decades, the international order has undergone profound transformation driven by the diffusion of power, the erosion of Western dominance, and the resurgence of regional and subregional cooperation frameworks. The concept of regionalism, once primarily associated with economic integration and institutional cooperation, is now being redefined as a multidimensional phenomenon encompassing political, security, cultural, and civilizational dimensions.

This article explores the reconceptualization of regionalism within the context of shifting geopolitical realities in Central Asia and the Global South. It examines how emerging powers such as China, India, Turkey, and the Gulf states, as well as regional organizations like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), BRICS, and ASEAN, are reshaping the strategic landscape of the developing world. The study argues that the post-liberal order has ushered in a “new regionalism” characterized by overlapping networks of economic corridors, security partnerships, and identity-based cooperation. Drawing on a qualitative review of scholarly literature and policy documents, the article highlights the implications of this transformation for global governance, multipolarity, and the reconfiguration of international hierarchies.