Regional Integration and Global Governance

In our globalised world, societies are affected more and more extensively and deeply by events of other societies. Debates on globalisation raise questions regarding the appropriate political response for dealing with both its negative and the positive effects. One of the fundamental questions is at what level action should be situated. Actions can be taken by the national and local authorities, but as it is often the case, these authorities are limited in their ability to tackle global and thus transnational problems. On the other hand, there are the global worldwide institutions such as the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions. And in between both, there are the regional institutions as well (such as the European Union, Mercosur, NAFTA...) and perhaps it is exactly at that level that globalisation is best dealt with.