Geopolitics, (sub)regionalism, discourse and a troubled ‘power triangle’ in the Black Sea

Abstract

Following the end of the Cold War, the Black Sea gradually began to undergo a process of region‐building, while simultaneously emerging as a key area in a new spiral of geopolitical competition. The purpose of this article is to analyse the interrelated terms of geopolitics, subregionalism and discourse by investigating the fundamental significance of the geography of the region, the ambiguous role of the hegemon(s), the performance of the various regional organizations, the value of history and identity, and the policies of the full‐fledged geopolitical subjects (United States, Russia, European Union). To this end, it uses various tools from different strands of thought in international relations, trying to apply what is known as analytical eclecticism.