The Legitimacy of New Regionalism in the European integration process

Abstract

European borders have gone through allot of changes in terms of understanding the space of a culture, race, religion, city or nation. Growing from physical walls, intense militarized areas to a formal understanding of regions with no physical boundaries or restrictions of any kind, the frontier or the border, has been an area of the utmost importance to the different branches of science. The issue of cross-border cooperation in general goes beyond geographical, economic and legal approaches. If we intend to treat the phenomenon from a specific point of view, we will find ambiguities and uncertainties regarding the role and functioning of some institutions in the process of cross-border cooperation and partnerships. The international conference volume entitled „The Legitimacy of New Regionalism in the European integration process”, through its 4 chapters and 30 articles is focusing on, the role of civil society in the democratization and European Integration Process of Central and Eastern Europe; the role of regional, transnational and cross‐border co-operation in the European integration process; security versus openness of borders. Social, confessional and cultural differences between communities and new policy trends and civil initiatives in South Eastern Europe. The present volume contains the papers of the international Jean Monnet conference “The Legitimacy of new Regionalism in the European Integration Process”, held in Oradea between 4th-5th of May 2023, organized by the Department of International Relations and European Studies, University of Oradea with the support of the European Commission.

Keywords

• civil society
• european integration
• european borders
• south-estern europe
• democratization
• regional cooperation