Faculty of Sociology Social World Regions A Comparison of EU, ASEAN and SADC Ines Vitić (Dipl. Soz.) University of Bielefeld, Faculty of Sociology, P.O. Box , Bielefeld, Germany Fon: , Fax: ,

Faculty of Sociology Social World Regions State of research: -Global Social Policy (world regions get more and more important in questions of social policy) -World regional studies My critique -only looking at the political or economic level -Promote the EU as the best way (normative) -Promote the EU as the only way, how world regions have to develop (idealtyp) → eurocentristic perspective

IndicatorsWorld regions welfare statesocialwithout social identity The socialsocial goals√√√√- social sector√√√-√ social regulation √√--- The institutional arrangement democracy√ rule of law√ capitalism√ sovereignty√

Faculty of Sociology Social World Regions “ The European Union in the Global North represents the most advanced form of such regional integration. In terms of supranational social policy it can be said that the EU has an embryonic social policy in all the three fields of social redistribution, social regulation and social rights” (Yeates/Deacon 2006: 7). “SADC has approached health issue on a regional basis, and its gender unit has made progress in mainstreaming these issues across the region. ASEAN has declared that one of its purposes is to facilitate the development of caring societies, and has a university scholarships and exchange programme” (Deacon 2007: 165).

European Union Social goals:Yes; social Charta, human rights Social sector:Yes; Labor market policy and protection, health, education, consumer protection, migration, equality, social security Social regulation:Yes; social terms of reference, open method of coordination (health, pension) Democracy:Yes; a world regional parliament and all member states are democratic Rule of law:Yes; a world regional Charta, a lot of term of reference and a world regional court Capitalism:Yes; a world regional economic union, all member states are capitalistic Sovereignty:Yes and no; In many policy fields but not in the social policy sector (only an indirect shift)

Association of Southeast Asian Nations Social goals:Yes; social Charta, human rights, millennium goals, poverty and inequality reduction, social security, high standard of living Social sector:Yes; Labor protection, labor market policy, basic income security, age, unemployment, health, education, poverty, food, consumer protection Social regulation:?; plan of action, best practices, coordination Democracy:No; no world regional parliament; not all member states are democratic Rule of law:Yes and no; a world regional constitution and many terms of reference, but no world regional court Capitalism:Yes; free trade area (AFTA), but not all member states are capitalistic Sovereignty:No; duty of unanimity

Southern African Development Community Social goals:Yes; social Charta, high standard of living, social justice, security, poverty reduction Social sector:Yes; HIV/AIDS, poverty, employment and labor, gender, social dialogue, CSR, social protection, education, food security Social regulation:?; plan of action (RISDP), best practice, capacity building, regional funds Democracy:No; no world regional parliament, but SADC Parliamentary Forum Rule of law:Yes; SADC Court (since 2007) Capitalism:Yes; Free Trade Area, Custom Union by 2010 Sovereignty:No and Yes; subsidiarity, an indirect shift by the SADC Court

Faculty of Sociology Social World Regions → Is the EU a welfare state world region? Problem: absence of a sovereignty shift in the social sector and the absence of individual social redistribution → Is ASEAN a social world region? Problem: the level of social regulation is underdeveloped - A big gap between talk and action level → Is SADC a social world region? And on the way to a welfare state region? Problem: To fill the existing world regional structures with life and power, to reduce the gap between talk and action and to promote more sovereignty shifts

Faculty of Sociology Social World Regions Analytical problems: scope: –How extensive does the social sector have to be so that you could speak of a social world region? –How extensive does the social regulation have to be so that you could speak of a social world region? decoupling: –Between talk and action level –Between world regional and member state level

Faculty of Sociology Social World Regions Thank you very much for your attention & the coming inspiring discussion