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Global and Regional Social Trends

Nationalism, one of the reborn unfulfilled patterns of states' modernization, has arisen as a critical societal expression that has spurred conflict leading to violence and disrupted societies both within modern states and new born democracies as well. Yet, the Western Europe model of nationalism was coined as falling within what was called a liberal, culturally inclusive (Sleeping Beauty) one, as opposed to the illiberal, culturally exclusive (Frankenstein's monster) nationalisms more often found elsewhere.

Even more, nationalism has been looked at as having inflamed even more the Darwinian theory of the "survival of the fittest"; Chirot articulates that nationalism has been "defined by blood rather than by civic behavior"and that "[it] intensifies.

On another end of the world, the European Union, seemingly as one of the recent successful emerging construct stands as a modernized expression of the tamed nationalism with fading expressions particularly in the new coming Member States. In parallel, that has had a domino effect in erecting new public spaces with a clear regional re-definition: the Asian public space, the Caucasus, Balkans and so forth; nevertheless, it is useless to add that the international organizations have been continuously faced with ever increasing challenges to maintain a global balance; exogenous and endogenous factors, in as much proportion, impinged indirectly on immature states to dismantle inwardly while they look up to integrate in larger regional structures (eg. the Balkans and Caucasus Regions)- domestic conflicts seem to outrank in priority the regional-global geopolitical agenda that, at least in theory has been proclaimed as a commonality for all, eg. terrorism, ethnic conflicts, respect for human rights, immigration, global warming, world starvation, etc.

The US used to be a model in terms of successfully enabling the integration of migrants; therefore, there is wide acceptance that old institutions are gradually giving up at an incremental pace, at front of widespread global tendencies that trigger new societal dynamics within both the United States and the European Union : class segmentation, uprising of extremist movements and fundamentalism, broadening inequalities, loss of social capital that bring along non-compliance with community norms and retaliation against any form of formal control, corruption, expansion of slums at the same pace with urban sprawling, etc.

Migration, looked at as the "necessary evil", has helped for temporarily keeping afloat the local and/or national economy both in the UE and the EU. Though on the short run, economic targets may be reached, a la long, social disorder is being given life with local disrupted communities, heavily questioning the existence of any value system and community norms; while large proportions of cities ‘economy relies on external migration, on the other hand, that has brought along ethnical conflicts, peoples' enclaves with primitive ways of organization and self-governance within far more advanced metropolitan areas; inevitably, inter- nationalities clashes have become an ordinary scene; traditional policies and politics become helpless facing the issues brought by the new comers that apply at both ends of the migration curve: "delivering" and "recipient" countries.
These latest changes have brought anew urban fabric patronized by social and economic polarization, and mainstream culture spurring unpredictable and beyond control group dynamics; apart from that, the informality of the emerging growing periphery tends to flourish as the ground norms of economy, politics and social evolving scenes.

GUIDING QUESTION

Is there a suitable model for states in the EU and its neighbors to follow as for state polity to get strengthened? Can they overcome remaining ethnic conflicts?  To what extent does an old fashioned kind of nationalism still prevail?  Can the new democracies in Europe really trust the supposed transformation of Europe to protect them, particularly since it should be obvious that the United States is bound to play a diminished role in European affairs in the future?

Are the new migrants' communities better off in a self governing system or the "majority based democracy" hegemonic ally can maintain order and desired development for them?

Have been all of these marginal communities (eg. slums) rationally constructed as an intermediate phase to sweep migrants into the majority large modes of life or we got to the point of engineering two parallel worlds facing a widening gap amongst themselves that has harsh spillovers into clashes and creating backwardness in terms of progress?

To what extent would be feasible to look at periphery as a space for social, politic, economic and cultural innovation?

What new types of organization and ideologies may be necessary to adapt successfully in a very crowded, wealthy world?

Hence, how to maintain social order in a quest for furthering individual freedom beyond decay and with a society organization where both the state and the market failed to meet expectations and needs, and where new born communities as composed of a milieu of strangers are giving birth ?