__NOTOC__
Regional hegemony is a concept in
international relations which refers to the influence exercised over neighboring countries by an independently powerful nation, the
regional hegemon. The relationship between regional hegemons and the other states within their spheres of influence is analogous to the relationship between a global hegemon and the other states in the international system.
The prominent international relations scholar
John Mearsheimer writes extensively about the pursuit of regional hegemony is his book,
The Tragedy of Great Power Politics. According to his theory, known as
offensive realism, the
anarchic nature of the international system, the desire for survival, and the inability to be sure of other states' intentions ultimately lead states to pursue regional hegemony. According to Mearsheimer, global hegemony is an unattainable goal; instead, a state which has achieved the level of regional hegemon should then work to prevent the development of peer competitors in other regions.
Contemporary examples
Contemporary examples are often politically sensitive or arguable. Often analysis of regional hegemons are based on a specific context or perspective which renders their identification subjective.
See also
