Regional social policies: aspirations, vernacularisation, or new forms of solidarity?

This chapter provides an overview of the emergence and spread of regional social policies and their potential to transform transnational governance. It therefore examines the multiple meanings of regional social policies, reviews the reasons for their emergence, and provides concise reviews of several regional social policies that have been developed and implemented. The transformative potential of regional social policies is discussed, with a reflection on recent global crises. The chapter concludes that regional social policies are increasingly important in facilitating policy development and a common discourse and are characterised by complex, interactive processes between associated countries, with global interests and influences shaping their ideas and discourses. The chapter highlights the need for more knowledge at the intersection of regional social policies and calls for further comparative analysis of different regional social policies. It also shows that regional social policy is not just a function of interest or capability in terms of developing such policies but also about a reluctance of member states to provide the regional level with the competency to regulate and implement social policies. Finally, the chapter suggests that regional organisations can amplify the voice of smaller states in international politics and regional cooperation.