Regional hegemony as a tool for peace : an evaluation of South Africa's role in regional development

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Southern Africa as a region requires a rallying point from where they can integrate andmobilize their resources in order to create a security community, which acts both as adeterrent to the outbreak of conflict and regional bloc to protect local industries from globalforces. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) does not have the strongrelationship which usually exists between states that share a common goal or interest. Thestudy argues that the lack of leadership within the region accounts for the weak cooperativerelationship that presently exists in Southern Africa.This study argues that regionalization does not come about unless the states in a particularregion want it. It may come about through spontaneous or unintended convergence in termsof political regime, economic policy or security, but often one can identify a triggeringpolitical event which sets the process in motion. The study argues that the DevelopmentCorridors apparent in Southern Africa can act as the triggering event and have the promise toforge the most feasible cooperation amongst regional states. The phenomenon of Peace Parksrooted in the Spatial Development Initiatives, offer a unique type of regional integrationembedded on traditional focal areas and Southern African Identity.This study intends to analyze the potential ability of regional hegemony to foster peacethrough development. The primary objective of this study consequently is to examine the roleof regional hegemonies as tools for peace; using South Africa's hegemony in Southern Africaas a case study. This study describes the importance of South Africa as a regional hegemon tolead the process of creating a peaceful co-existence in SADC. To achieve the researchobjectives the following questions have been formulated: What is South Africa's role as adevelopment partner in Southern Africa? The second research question asks how the politicaleconomy of regionalism is apparent in the Spatial Development Indicators (DevelopmentCorridors). Specifically what contribution could Spatial Development Initiatives maketowards SADC's regional integration objectives? The research questions provide animpression of major socio-political developments looming in the region and also seek toprovide the required tools to analyze and understand what is going on in Southern Africatoday.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University