The Political Economy of Formal and Informal Regionalism

Abstract

This chapter deals with the political economy of formal and informal regionalism in Southern Africa, and how state, market and external actors relate to one another and often come together in hybrid and multi-actor coalitions. Four distinct regionalisms are highlighted, two formal and two informal. The formal are: (i) the project of market integration and (ii) regime-boosting, while the informal are: (iii) shadow regionalism and (iv) informal economic regionalism.