893 894 Volume 46 number 1.1 March 2011 O. Nzewi ship in terms of region-relevant and speciic theories that attempt to explain African regionalism. Consequently, the body of literature in this work will come largely from literature on European integration. More than any other region, the European Union (EU) has been the focus of theory building on regionalism. Relevant to this paper are the theoretical considerations stemming from the development of the EU, in particular the grand theories of neo-functionalism and intergovernmentalism. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF REGIONALISM GRAND THEORIES IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION S ocial sciences deal with the methodological study of social phenomena as a route to understanding their consequences for the broader society (Radcliffe- Brown 1948:55). Public Administration as a social science has thrived as a part of the whole study of social phenomena, thus sharing interdependence with other social sciences. Bain (1986:19) refers to Public Administration as having an ‘interdisciplinary heritage’. Moreover, Administration cannot be conined to a par - ticular deinition, but rather should be seen as a totality of all those activities that are undertaken by members of an organised unit to achieve goals (Gladden, 1972:4). To this end, grand theories have particular signiicance for international adminis- tration of regional projects as they provide a framework on which the administra- tion of regional and international institutions can be assessed. This is particularly in terms of institution building, the administration of the regional project and the study of inluences of technocrats (e.g. regional secretariats) and the political elite (internal and external political pressures) on the trajectory of regional integration. Grand theories are theories which try to provide overall explanations (generali- sations) of society, human behaviour or a phenomenon (Centeno & Lopez-Alves 2001:3). Although limiting in terms of explaining micro patterns or processes (Skin- ner 1985), grand theories can be ideal for explorative research purposes and rep- resent attempts at universal theory building. Regional integration grand theories attempt to explain the overall system of European integration from two major per- spectives: intergovernmentalism and neo-functionalism. The EU emerged through negotiated compromises driven by the need to create international alliances to contain several ‘threats’ that emerged from post-war Europe and the United States. The greatest of these threats were political and economic. Intergovernmentalism as a grand theory of regional integration emerged in an attempt to explain European efforts at containing these ‘threats’ (Sitter 2005:53; Goodman 1996:35; Messenger, 2006:41). Neo-functionalism as a grand theory emerged partly due to the grow- ing questions about the future of the Sovereign Nation State especially as regional integration deepened in Europe (McGowan 2007:3; Haas 1961). Thus, as grand theories, intergovernmentalist and neo-functionalist views are centred inter alia on postulations on the outcome of the initiated regional organisation (McGowan 2007:3), the actors, and the environment both internal and external, which pres- sures and shapes the nature of regional integration (Sitter, 2005:53). AFRICA’S REGIONAL INTERGRATION: A REFLECTION ON GRAND THEORY O. Nzewi Department of Public Administration University of Fort Hare ABSTRACT T his article aims to examine institutional and intergovernmental inlu- ences on the management of African regionalism through an exploration of regionalism grand theory. Grand theory has particular signiicance for international administration of regional projects as they provide a framework on which the administration of regional and international institutions can be assessed. This is particularly in terms of institution building, the administration of the regional project and the study of inluences of technocrats (e.g. regional sec- retariats) and the political elite (internal and external political pressures) on the trajectory of regional integration. In particular, the paper aims to ind out what (if any) these theories reveal about African regionalism, and whether they can pro- vide a basis for theory building in African regionalism studies. This article adds to the growing debate on the future and projection of African regionalism. This is because the future and trajectory of regionalism in Africa is vital to the economic, social and political stability of African states. INTRODUCTION T his article aims to examine institutional and intergovernmental inluences on the management of African regionalism through an exploration of regional- ism theory. In particular, the paper aims to ind out what (if anything) these theories reveal about African regionalism, and whether they can provide a basis for theory building in African regionalism studies. This paper will speciically use the term regionalism as encompassing political, institutional and economic dimen- sions of a regional project. This article adds to the growing debate on the future and projection of African regionalism. This is because the future and trajectory of regionalism in Africa is vital to the economic, social and political stability of Afri- can states. Theoretical discourses in social sciences enable the generation of plausible explanations aimed at understanding the successes and mistakes of the past, infer- ring the nature of the present world and surmising on the possibilities, prospects and challenges of the future. Nevertheless, there seems to be a dearth in scholar-