Cluster 1

Cluster 1

Regional Integration, Globalisation, Governance

In recent decades, globalisation and regionalisation or regional integration have become important and yet rather distinct phenomena catching the attention of scholars all over the world. Across different epistemological landscapes, these phenomena are indispensible in tracing, assessing and explaining processes of interaction between multifactors. In addition, governance has appeared as a recurring theme for investigating the numerous tracks, institutional backgrounds and outcomes of political and economic decision-making on the local, national and transnational levels. This research area sets out to shed light on those processes, motivations as well as their outcomes and impacts. Multifaceted methodological designs and intensive empirical field-work yield expertise and research of highly practical relevance.
A common frame for all studies within this research area is their focus on processes and activities that transcend national borders and the relationship of these processes to development. This includes studies on global and regional economic integration, including international trade, FDI and foreign debt, Intellectual Property Rights and global knowledge governance, and many more. These studies look at the respective economic as well as socio-political impacts of global processes on national or sub-national levels as well as on the ongoing power struggles between actors involved in the respective multilateral, regional and bilateral regimes. More specifically, some studies investigate the institutional preconditions of regional integration in different regions of the world. A set of studies on transnational governance analyses regulation processes of economic and non-economic matters, focusing on labour rights and environmental protection, among others. Related themes cover the transborder communication of social movements, which, inter alia, has been influential for recent policy ideas, such as food sovereignty. Social remittances that include communication between related groups across borders are another recurring theme for studies on migration. Furthermore, North-South and South-South-Cooperation are conceptualizations guiding studies in this cluster. Development Finance is another case in point.

Cluster 1 GrafikCluster 1 Grafik unterer Teil




Transnational Governance



Trade, FDI, Intellectual Property


  • A Comparative Analysis of the Impact of Foreign Direct Investment on Inclusive Economic Growth in Malawi and Zambia from 1970 to 2014 (PhD-Project Themba Nyasulu);
  • Regional Integration in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment, South-South Cooperation (Matthias Busse, selection of current projects, further information available here);
  • The Authorisation by the WTO Dispute Settlement Body to Suspend Obligations under the TRIPS Agreement: Challenges and Implementation Options for Developing Countries (PhD-Project Johannes Norpoth);
  • Political Economy of International Trade Negotiations: EU-GCC Free Trade Negotiations, Open Regionalism Revisited: Chances and Risks of Overlapping RIAs, Economics of Conflict and Reconstruction in the Middle East (Anja Zorob);
  • International Trade and Global Power Shift: U.S., EU and China´s race for power (PhD-Project Jan-Frederik Kremer);
  • Foreign Direct Investment and its Impact on Productivity and Wages in the Host Economy: Evidence from Turkish Micro-level Data (PhD-Project (completed) Syeda Tamkeen Fatima).

Regional Integration


  • Regional Integration in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment, South-South Cooperation (Matthias Busse, selection of current projects, further information available here);
  • Political Economy of International Trade Negotiations: EU-GCC Free Trade Negotiations, Open Regionalism Revisited: Chances and Risks of Overlapping RIAs, Economics of Conflict and Reconstruction in the Middle East (Anja Zorob);
  • The Changing Relationship between Mainland China and Taiwan in the Light of the World Trade Organization (PhD-Project Qin Tang);
  • Institutional Change in African Countries, Regional Co-operation in Africa with a Focus on West-Africa (Christof Hartmann, further information available here);
  • Collective Identity and Prospects for Political Integration: The Case of the East African Community (PhD-Project (completed) Catherine Promise Biira).

Development Finance


  • External Debt: Impacts on Growth and Development under Sustainability and Debt Crisis (Dieter Bender, current project, further information available here).

North-South-/South-South-Cooperation


  • Asymmetries in South-South Cooperation - Brazil as a New Development Partner in Africa (PhD-Project Jurek Seifert);
  • The Perception of the European Union as Environmental Actor in the Mediterranean Partner Countries (PhD-Project Jasmin Gerau).

Migration


  • Somali Diaspora Members as unofficial 'Development' Agents and Communicators in their Country of Origin. Visions and Challenges (PhD-Project Michele Gonnelli);
  • Socio-Cultural Remittances and their Impact: A Study of Migrant Sending Communities in Rural Bangladesh (PhD-Project Maruf Lutfur).


Cluster 1 News:

Call for Participation: International Forum on Refugee Protection & Migration Issues 2019

From 28 to 29 November 2019, IEE and IFHV at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum will be hosting the International Forum on Refugee Protection (IFRP 2019) & Migration Issues.

This 2-day forum (IFRP 2019) stems from the collaboration of PhD Students from various disciplines from the Institute for Development Research and Development Policy (IEE) and the Institute for International Law of Peace & Armed Conflict (IFHV), with support from the RUB Research School at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum in Germany.

The IFRP 2019 is a student-led initiative and offers an international platform for knowledge-exchange with fellow doctoral researchers, senior academics, and experts. The IFRP 2019 will include two keynote speakers, case study sessions, discussion sessions, lunch, refreshments, and an official forum dinner.

We invite submissions of participation from current or recently-graduated doctoral researchers in the field of international human rights law, international development studies, and other related disciplines.

Applicants do not need to be affiliated with any of the institutions listed above.

The call for participation is open until the 21 July 2019 on topics that address or touch on, one or several of the following sub-themes:

  • The Modern Refugee Crisis: Rights holders vs. Duty bearers
  • Impacts of securitization on refugees and migration policies
  • Bringing the law to life: Refugee protection at national, regional, and global levels
  • Relationship between crime and security in the age of refugee securitization
  • Regional cooperation and governance in development

The abstracts (500 words) for oral/poster presentation should include the preferred sub-theme, indication of the presentation type (oral/poster/both), full name, institutional affiliation, and contact details to, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 21st July 2019. A CV is also requested with submission.

Successful candidates will be notified by 21 August 2019.

Download: Call for Participation

Visiting Scholar from Cornell University at IEE

2017 10 FeldmannFrom this week until 15th December, Professor Shelley Feldman from Cornell University will be joining the IEE as a Visiting Scholar.  In her research as a sociologist, she has been working on a number of topics that have also been addressed by other IEE members, often coming from other disciplines. Her work on garment workers and the garment industry in Bangladesh as well as her research on land grabbing and displacement match research projects and interests of some IEE members.

Professor Feldman will hold presentations during the cluster sessions on "Garment Workers in Bangladesh and the Regulation of Garment Industry and Labour Markets" (8th November 2017, 10am-1pm, Room 2.25) and on "Land-Grabbing and Displacement" (13th December 2017, 10am-12noon, Room 2.25). We hope for inspiring exchanges with Prof. Feldman and warmly welcome her at the IEE.

Approval of Funding for German-Arab Joint Research, Training and Networking Programme

The project proposal "From Responsibility to Protect to Responsibility to Assist: Conflict, Reconstruction and Sustainable Development in the Middle East" has been approved for funding by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

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Workshop "The Comparative Method"

On May 28, 2014 the members of Cluster 1 and other interested IEE members met for a workshop on "The Comparative Method" hosted by Dr. Meik Nowak. The workshop provided an overview of comparative approaches in research and gave the participants insights into how they could use different kinds of comparison to structure their research. Further interdisciplinary workshops on methodological issues are planned for this year.

Cluster 1: Contacts

ChakmaBablu Chakma
Cluster Representative

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Fax: +49 (0)234 / 32-14294



Members of Cluster 1