ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at integration and disintegration more broadly as they operate in other dimensions of international relations. International integration suggests processes by which the politics, economics, cultures, and societies of separate states are merging into one another. International disintegration suggests processes by which the politics, economics, culture, and society of a single state or group of states are breaking into separate parts or simply breaking down. The chapter focuses on international integration—the pulling together or merging of states or parts of states—for a number of reasons. It describes the processes of integration and disintegration and why Mitrany's functionalist argument targeted the sovereignty of states. Processes of international integration seem more prominent than processes of international disintegration and are associated with increasing levels of economic interdependence and globalization. The chapter describes the ways in which information technology might contribute to integration and disintegration.
