The final session of this year’s International Experts Lecture Series on Regionalism organized by the Department of International Studies of Miriam College was graced by Mr. Kritzman Caballero, a Lecturer at the European Studies Program of the Ateneo de Manila University. His lecture held on 5 December 2020 via Zoom culminated the series with an insightful discussion on European regionalism and Russia’s foreign policy. This year’s regionalism lecture series focused on regionalism in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Europe, and the Pacific.
The lecture of Mr. Caballero, The Political Economy of Regional Integration: Examining the European Union (EU) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Experience, provided the participants with a strong background on the institutional development and transformation of the EU. He detailed the various factors which paved the way for the region’s successful economic, political, and social integration. He also discussed another regional organization led by Russia, the EAEU which aims to economically integrate Europe and Asia. Mr. Caballero talked about the history, characteristics, institutions, and policies of the EAEU. Completing the entire European regionalism landscape, he also generously provided the audience with a background on Russia’s foreign policy focusing on its new Foreign Policy Concept and National Security Strategy. During his entire presentation, Mr. Caballero gave a critical analysis of the various forces shaping European regionalism.
His thought-provoking lecture was followed by an engaging open forum where Mr. Caballero sharply answered all the queries asked by the participants covering political, economic, social, and security issues confronting the region. Mr. Caballero’s lecture was overwhelmingly attended by more than 150 participants from the academic, government, and non-government sectors. His presentation was well-appreciated by the audience who gained immensely from his expertise on the subject matter.
Prof. Lorna Israel, the Graduate Program Coordinator of the Department of International Studies, expressed her gratitude to Mr. Caballero for sharing his knowledge and insights on the EU which is an important topic for scholars of Regionalism. Prof. Jonalyn Villasante, who spearheaded this year’s lecture series, formally closed the event by commending the faculty and students of the Department of International Studies for initiating the lecture series and all the remarkable experts who made it a successful venue for knowledge exchange. -- By: Martina Luisita L. Dela Vega