This paper does not intend to produce an in-depth analysis of the historical background and development of the concepts Multilateralism, Regionalism and Isolationism. Instead it focuses on an understanding of how these movements coexist today, what are the logics sustaining them, how do they respond to the needs and constraints of an increasingly globalized world, and how are they affected by shifts in US foreign policy strategies.

In that sense, it intends to prove that despite the present ‘unilateral moment’, the interdependent forces that are shaping the world cannot be stopped; in the long term they are likely to configure a ‘multipolar world of regions’. While it is recognized that US politics ―particularly the present neo-conservatism― is likely to shape the final outcome of the regional processes, this study suggests that unilateralism is proving to be an unstable mode of governance, and thus will be replaced ―sooner or later― by an ameliorated and more assertive multilateral approach.

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