Habits of Multilateralism
This chapter shows how regional multilateralism contributed to the decline in mass atrocities. It proceeds in three main parts. First, it charts the rise of East Asian multilateralism and shows how the “ASEAN way” developed and was gradually exported to the rest of the region giving rise to both common rules and informal practices that have helped facilitate the decline of mass atrocities by promoting state consolidation and economic development whilst managing disputes between states. The second part of the chapter examines some of these norms and practices in more detail, showing how regional multilateralism has contributed to the decline of mass atrocities through normative socialization and conflict management. The final section turns to some of the perceived limits of multilateralism, focusing in particular on the incapacity of the region’s supranational institutions, the absence of shared identities, and the region’s inability to resolve protracted disputes.