The Deficiency within the Existing Literature on Comparative Regionalism and the Quest for a General Framework

There exists a huge body of research within the field of regionalism and comparative regionalism that seeks to define the crucial concepts of region, regionalism, and regional integration, as well as identify the factors required for regional integration. The research question of this paper is: do the scholars working in the field of comparative regionalism present a comprehensive, intelligible framework for studying regionalism based on a common conceptualization of the essential ideas and identification of the general factors required for successful regional integration in different settings? By reviewing the primary literature, this paper argues that the literature in the field of comparative regionalism lacks a coherent framework for facilitating the study of regional integration in different settings. This deficiency is due to a failure to conceptualize these fundamental phenomena from a general perspective and identify the common factors that affect successful regional integration.