Unravelling stability: regional power in west and southern Africa through three lenses

Essentially, the traditional emphasis on global power dynamics frequently obscures regional subsystems’ complex interplay of influence. In practical terms, this means that regional powers might exert influence that may elude global-level examination. For example, a state may be a decisive hegemon in its territory, yet it may look like a middle power in the global power hierarchy. This is the case in Southern Africa and Nigeria in West Africa. The post-Cold War era has undeniably witnessed what Pentland (1975) and, later on, Acharya (2007) describe as the regionalisation of world politics, thus rendering this analytical distinction increasingly vital. This duality challenges conventional international relations theories that typically position states on a singular hierarchical continuum.