A Review of Thailand's Foreign Policy in Mainland Southeast Asia: Exploring an Ideational Approach

2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-154 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Self Perception ◽  
Post Cold War ◽  
Economic Rationale ◽  
Regional Leadership ◽  
Regional Projects ◽  
Mainland Southeast Asia

AbstractIn the post-Cold War period, mainland Southeast Asia has been significantly marked by peace and stability, despite occasional bilateral tensions among neighbouring countries. Within this environment Thailand has been a primary advocate for various sub-regional co-operation initiatives since the early 1990s. Interestingly, these regional projects have mainly been Thailand's own self-initiated version, in which Thailand acts as the main co-ordinator, sometimes bypassing broader regional entities, especially ASEAN. Conventional wisdom may explain this phenomenon by resorting to the economic rationale in Thai foreign policy. However, in some circumstances economic benefit is not a decisive factor considering associated costs. This article, therefore, proposes to use an ideational lens to reassess Thailand's regional leadership by focusing on the role of self-perception/identity in determining Thailand's foreign policy preferences. It argues that Thailand's identity as a leading country in mainland Southeast Asia helps sustain its active role in sub-regional endeavours. The Quadrangle Economic Co-operation (QEC) initiative is examined here to show the intervention of Thailand's self-perception in the endurance of its leadership in this regional initiative.

China's New Foreign Policy Team

2013 ◽  
Vol 05 (03) ◽  
pp. 5-16
Author(s):  
Lance L P GORE
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Foreign Affairs ◽  
Defining Moment ◽  
Hands On ◽  
International Role ◽  
The Military

The new foreign policy team is more professional and with an Asian focus than its older counterpart. Although still fragmented, it may have stronger leadership and better coordination. This is critically important because China is at a defining moment as to its international role. Xi Jinping's closer ties with the military and his hands-on style may encourage assertive nationalism and more active role of the military in foreign affairs.

Eurasian Integration in the American Scientific-Academic Discourse

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 307-327
Author(s):  
Virsaviya Viver ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
American Foreign Policy ◽  
Active Role ◽  
The United States ◽  
Academic Discourse ◽  
Policy Discourse ◽  
Soviet Space ◽  
Expert Community ◽  
Post Soviet Space

The article discusses modern Eurasian integration - regional processes of unification in the post-Soviet space, in which Russia plays a guiding role. Despite the declaration by the American establishment of the importance of the Eurasian macro region and the deep involvement of the United States in the region’s affairs, the American foreign policy discourse clearly shows a lack of interest on the part of the expert community in integration in the post-Soviet space against the backdrop of Washington’s assistance in integration processes in other regions of the world. In this regard, the purpose of the article is to analyze the current practice of coverage in the American scientific and academic discourse of Eurasian integration processes with the active role of Russia. Based on the opinion of American experts from centrist, liberal and conservative think tanks, it is planned to determine the place of Eurasian integration issues in the American foreign policy discourse, to determine the dynamics of changes in the process of coverage of Eurasian integration by the American expert community, and to outline the nature of the assessments of American experts on Eurasian integration projects.

The transformation of Turkish foreign policy: The rise of the trading state

2009 ◽  
Vol 40 ◽  
pp. 29-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kemal Kirişçi
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Soft Power ◽  
Post Cold War ◽  
Northern Iraq ◽  
Turkish Foreign Policy ◽  
Regional Conflicts ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

AbstractRecently, Turkish foreign policy, compared to the 1990s, has manifested a number of puzzlements. They range from the rapprochement with Greece, the turnabout over Cyprus, mediation efforts involving a series of regional conflicts to a policy seeking an improvement in relations with Armenia and Kurds of Northern Iraq. These puzzlements have increasingly transformed Turkey from being cited as a “post-Cold War warrior” or a “regional coercive power” to a “benign” if not “soft” power. Academic literature has tried to account for these puzzlements and the accompanying transformation in Turkish foreign policy from a wide range of theoretical perspectives. This literature has undoubtedly enriched our understanding of what drives Turkish foreign policy. At the same time, this literature has not paid adequate attention to the role of economic factors shaping Turkish foreign policy as we approach the end of the first decade of the new century. This article aims to highlight this gap and at the same time offer a preliminary conceptual framework based on Richard Rosecrance's notion of the “trading state” and Robert Putnam's idea of “two-level diplomatic games” to explore the impact of economic considerations on Turkish foreign policy.

scholarly journals Ameryka Łacińska w polityce zagranicznej Brazylii – niedokończony projekt przywództwa regionalnego

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (55) ◽  
pp. 425-439
Author(s):  
Anita Oberda Monkiewicz
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Latin America ◽  
South American ◽  
The South ◽  
Important Place ◽  
Regional Leadership

The purpose of the article is to discuss the place and role of Latin America in Brazil’s foreign policy. The article leads to the conclusion that, starting from the 1990s, Latin America, a region that was marginalized for many years, gained an important place in Brazilian policy. The construction of the South American community has become an instrument of strengthening regional leadership, although due to the lack of a coherent strategy towards the direct neighbourhood, it proved to be short-lived.

scholarly journals Indonesia’s National Role Conceptions: Continuity Amidst Regional Change

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Henning Borchers
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Intellectual Community ◽  
Norms And Values ◽  
Regional Leadership ◽  
Protection Of Human Rights ◽  
Role Conceptions ◽  
Global Affairs ◽  
External Powers ◽  
National Role Conceptions

<p>This thesis analyses Indonesia's foreign policy in view of role conceptions held by the country's policy and intellectual community and their impact on policy behaviour at the ASEAN level. These role conceptions capture the ways decision-makers perceive Indonesia’s standing and influence in the region and beyond and include the country’s ‘independent and active’ foreign policy doctrine as well as widely held views of the country being a model democracy, a mediator and – increasingly – key actor in regional and global affairs. The research draws attention to how these notions shape Jakarta’s role in ASEAN Community-building and security regionalism. It focuses on a range of initiatives that emphasise ASEAN’s ‘liberal agenda’, including the ASEAN Charter and ASEAN’s approach to conflict resolution and the promotion and protection of human rights. In so doing, it critically reflects on Indonesia’s domestic performance, which stands in at times stark contrast to its agenda on the international stage. I argue that Indonesia’s commitment to promoting liberal norms and values in regional affairs is predominantly instrumental as it aims at consolidating ASEAN cohesion vis-à-vis the influence of external powers in order to advance the country’s regional leadership ambitions and desire to play a more active role at the global level.</p>

scholarly journals The Role of ASEAN in Tackling the Main Issues of Transnational Crime in the Southeast Asia Region

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-58
Author(s):  
Felix Ferdin Bakker ◽  
Andhika Parama Putra ◽  
Respati Triana Putri
Keyword(s):  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Human Trafficking ◽  
Drug Trafficking ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Active Role ◽  
The United States ◽  
Transnational Crime ◽  
Existing Problems ◽  
Asean Member

Southeast Asia, a strategic region with a large border area, makes it an area prone to transnational crimes, especially terrorism, drug trafficking and human trafficking. This article aims to determine the role of ASEAN in tackling the main issues of transnational crime in the Southeast Asian region. International crimes in Southeast Asia are increasingly common. This research study uses normative legal research methods with qualitative data collection juxtaposed with descriptive analysis techniques so that the existing problems regarding transnational crimes, especially human smuggling, can be presented comprehensively and informatively. In dealing with this problem, ASEAN must play an active role by taking strategic steps through cooperating with other countries such as the United States and agreeing on various policies with ASEAN member countries related to handling transnational crimes, especially crimes of terrorism, drug trafficking and human trafficking.

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