Constructing a Security Community in South East Asia : ASEAN and the Problem of Regional Order

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is regarded by many as one of the most successful examples of regional co-operation in the developing world.

In the post-Cold War era, however, ASEAN faces serious challenges, not least from an expanded membership and the rising power of China.

This book examines whether ASEAN can cope with these challenges and contribute to peaceful change in Southeast Asia, or whether it will crumble under the weight of its burdens, sparking a new spiral of regional conflict.

Constructing a Security Community in Southeast Asia offers the first serious investigation into the prospects for a security community outside the Euro-Atlantic region. It examines several key issues which will determine the future stability of the Southeast Asian and Asia Pacific region, including; * the effect of expansion on ASEAN's intra-mural solidarity * whether the ASEAN model of conflict management can be applied to the wider Asia Pacific region * the threat posed by territorial disputes in the South China Sea * domestic instability in Burma and Cambodia * the impact of military acquisitions on intra-regional relations * debates about sovereignty and non-interference.

This book contains the most comprehensive and critical account available of the evolution of ASEAN's norms and the viability of the ASEAN WAy of conflict management.

It is an invaluable resource for students of scholars of Asian Studies and International Politics.