From confrontation to co-operation, ASEAN's search for security, 1967 to 1981

[摘要] The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regionalorganisation that emerged from a situation of inter-regional andethnic discord, into a largely unified body. In effect, the organisationunderwent a transformation from confrontation to co-operation.This dissertation charts the historical regional situation, covering theperiod from ASEAN's formation in 1967 up to 1981. The dissertationfurther analyses the rationale for the evolution of this collaborativeassociation, providing the basis for the key argument of thehypothesis, which states that threats to regional security andstability during this period served as the primary catalyst for greaterco-operation between member states. This thesis therefore opposesthe generally held view that economic imperatives were theprincipal drivers of increased regional co-operation in the SouthEast Asian region.

[发布机构] University of the Witwatersrand