Regionalism in South Asia : A Critique of the Functionalist Approach
Contents: Foreword. 1. Introduction. 2. Functionalism as a tool of analysis. 3. Deriving indicators of functionalism. 4. Functionalism in South Asian regionalism: the critique. 5. Assessment of the critique: trends and practices. 6. Conclusion and recommendations. Appendices.
"Regionalism in South Asia in this book has been seen as a process for spreading cooperation in the region, comprising eight states - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka (during the study period Afghanistan was not member of SAARC. Naturally Afghanistan could not be brought into the analysis). As the process of cooperation in this region functionalist line has been adopted. The objective is to cooperate with one another to address the problems of common concern with a confidence that through collaboration of the regional states solution to the problems is possible.
The objective of the study is to have a critique on the regional process in South Asian through the criteria derived from functionalism (of integration theory of regionalism). In this book how far the process is compatible to the adopted functionalist line and whether the envisaged spread and enhancement of cooperation in attitude, behaviour and institution or organisation are really happening are the vital thrust areas. Thus, as the tool of analysis, a theoretical framework of functionalism has been used. The state, people, and their culture, and their needs and limitations have come across in the analysis, with a special emphasis on the emancipation of the masses from poverty and underdevelopment.
It has been about two decades since the formal launching of the regional cooperation organisation, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Later many other organisations within it or beyond have emerged to spearhead and/or carry out the regional integration process. Thus, it is important to study how the adopted method, that is, the functional cooperation process is addressing the regional issues. At the same time, the questions \'why the functionalist line sometimes fails to meet expectations,\' \'what should be the remedies to it\' and \'whether the process is on the right track\' to guide the entire agenda, and again, how the limitations of the process, if there is any, can be overcome, have been attempted to address in the book." (jacket)
