POS 133.3.

SOUTHEAST ASIAN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

2nd Semester, SY 2016-2017
M-W-F 3:00 4:00 PM (B-208)
Dr. Liberty Chee
lchee@ateneo.edu
Consultation Hours: Tuesdays Fridays, 4:00 5:00 PM
Department of Political Science 3/F Leong Hall
(Please e-mail to set an appointment)
DESCRIPTION
This course is an introduction to the international relations of the Southeast Asian region. The
first part unpacks the 'imagining' of the region as a coherent whole, the forces that keep it
together and apart. It looks into the central organising principle of non-interference to examine
its staying power given in the current geopolitical context. Also, relations with key external
actors will be covered. The second part looks into some of the issues of governance facing the
region today and concludes with how region-building is proceeding from top-down and bottomup efforts.
Organisation: lecture on Mondays, lead discussants presentation and group discussion on
Wednesdays, group activity on Fridays.
REQUIREMENTS
Reading. You will be reading between 50 to 75 pages per week. This means you will need to set
aside between 4 to 6 hours for reading, depending on your skills. The more you read, the more
you learn to be purposive, the faster your reading rate. For tips on how to read, I strongly
suggest you take some time to read this.
Writing. All of your written output will be engagements with the ideas and arguments put forth
in the readings. Ill be sending detailed rubrics so you will know what I expect to read from you.
The general rule of thumb is that I need to hear your voice when you write. This means I
should be able to pick out your ideas and arguments from the authors.
Participation (10%). Throughout the semester, you will be evaluated for the quality (not the
quantity!) of your contribution to class discussions. Not to say that thoughtful effort will go
unnoticed.
Lead Discussion (10%). As lead discussant, you will identify three main ideas that you think are
the most important from the weekly readings. Your short presentation (10 minutes maximum)
will explain why you think these ideas are important. Prepare 3 well-thought out questions to
invite your classmates for discussion.
Reaction Memos x 4 (20%). These will be 300-word think pieces on the readings covered. One
reaction memo will be hand-written in-class. Your RM should not summarise what was read.
You should instead evaluate the claims made by the authors and explaining why you agree,
disagree, etc. Your RM should identify what ideas you think are important and why.

Unannounced Quizzes x 4 (20%). These will be simple, short-answer 10-point quizzes designed
to motivate you to keep up with the weekly readings.
Research Paper (40%). This paper should be written in engagement of the readings and authors
covered in the course. Use the theories and concepts we encounter as tools to investigate some
interesting or puzzling aspect of Southeast Asian international relations. 4,000 to 4,500 words,
excluding citations, include word count (stick to the word limits, no more, nor less).
PART I. UNDERSTANDING THE REGION AND THE REST
Week 1. The Study of Southeast Asia, the Study of International Relations (Jan. 18, 20)
Housekeeping and administrative matters, introductions, discussion of the syllabus.
Why study the IR of Southeast Asia? What makes this regions IR worth studying? Is there a
region?
Acharya A. (2012). Imagining Southeast Asia. In The Making of Southeast Asia: International
Relations of a Region. Ithaca & London: Cornell University Press, pp. 51-93.
Week 2. Centripetal Forces (Jan. 23, 25, 27)
What makes Southeast Asia hang together?
Slater D. (2010). To Extract and to Organize and States and Regimes that Run Them.
Chapters 1 and 2 in Ordering Power: Contentious Politics and Authoritarian Leviathans in
Southeast Asia (in Library).
Jones D. & Smith M. (2007). "Making Process, Not Progress: ASEAN and the Evolving East Asian
Regional Order." International Security 32(1), pp. 148-184.
Acharya A. (2012). "Constructing 'One Southeast Asia'." Chapter 7 in n The Making of Southeast
Asia: International Relations of a Region, pp. 213-239.
Week 3. Centrifugal Forces (Jan. 30, Feb. 1, 3)
What makes Southeast Asia come apart?
Scott J. (2009). "Hills, Valleys, and States: An Introduction to Zomia." Chapter 1 in The Art of Not
Being Governed, pp. 1-39
Slater D. & Kim D. (2015). "Standoffish States: Nonliterate Leviathans in Southeast Asia." TRaNS:
Trans -Regional and -National Studies of Southeast Asia, 3(1), pp 25 44.
Felker G. (2001). "ASEAN Regionalism and Southeast Asia's Systemic Challenges." Chapter 7 in
Twenty-First Century World Order and the Asia Pacific, pp. 213-253
Due: Reaction Memo 1. Coverage: Weeks 1 3.

Week 4. Sovereignty and the Norm of Non-Interference (Feb. 8, 10)

February 6 is a holiday.
Acharya A. (2009). The Evolution of ASEAN Norms and the Emergence of the ASEAN Way.
Chapter 2 in Constructing a Security Community in Southeast Asia: ASEAN and the Problem of
Regional Order, pp. 54-98.
Jones L. (2010). ASEANs Unchanged Melody? The Theory and Practice of Non-Interference in
Southeast Asia. The Pacific Review 23(4), pp. 479-502.
Due: One-page outline of your research topic. Should include a research question and an
argument or hypothesis.
Week 5. The Region and the West (Feb. 13, 15, 17)
Khong Y.F. (2008). "Coping with Strategic Uncertainty: The Role of Institutions and Soft
Balancing in Southeast Asia's Post-Cold War Strategy." Chapter 5 in Rethinking Security in East
Asia: Identity, Power, and Efficiency, pp. 172-208
Lum T. (2009). "United States Relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN)." CRS Report for Congress R40933.
Camroux D. (2010). "Interregionalism or Merely a Fourth-Level Game? An Examination of the
EU-ASEAN Relationship." East Asia 27(57-77).
Week 6. The Region and the Rest I (Feb. 20, 22, 24)
Ciorciari J. (2014). A Chinese Model for Patron-Client Relations? The Sino-Cambodian
Partnership. International Relations of the Asia-Pacific 15(2), pp. 245-278.
Sudo S. (2002). "Japan's dynamic Foreign Policy toward Southeast Asia: Three Doctrines."
Chapter 3 in The International Relations of Japan and Southeast Asia: Forging a New Regionalism,
pp. 33-55.
Teo S., Singh B. & See S.T. (2013). South Koreas Middle Power Engagement Initiatives:
Perspectives from Southeast Asia. RSIS Working Paper Series No. 265.
Week 7. The Region and the Rest II (Feb. 27, Mar. 1, 3)
Batabyal A. (2011). "Looking East 1: South-East Asia and ASEAN." Chapter 12 in Handbook of
India's International Relations, pp. 131-142.
Rangsimaporn P. (2009). "Russia's Search for Influence in Southeast Asia." Asian Survey 49(5),
pp. 786-808.
Stubbs R. (2014). "ASEAN's leadership in East Asian region-building: strength in weakness." The
Pacific Review, 27(4), pp. 523-541.
Due: Reaction Memo 2. Coverage: Weeks 5-7.

Week 8. Civil Society and Non-state actors (Mar. 6, 8, 10)

Alatas A. (2001). "ASEAN: An Association in Search of People or the People's Search for an
Association." Report of the First ASEAN People's Assembly, Jakarta: Centre for Strategic and
International Studies.
Collins A. (2008). "A People-Oriented ASEAN: A Door Ajar or Closed for Civil Society
Organisations?" Contemporary Southeast Asia, 30(2), pp. 313-331.
Igarashi S. (2011). "The New Regional Order and Transnational Civil Society in Southeast Asia:
Focusing on Alternative Regionalism from Below in the Process of Building the ASEAN
Community." World Political Science, 7(1), pp. 2363-4782.
Due: 600-800 word description of your revised research topic. Include a 10-entry bibliography.

PART II. ISSUES OF GOVERNANCE

Week 9. Asian Values and Human Rights? (Mar. 13, 15, 17)
Kraft S. (2001). Human Rights, ASEAN and Constructivism: Revisiting the Asian Values
Discourse. Philippine Political Science Journal 22(45), pp. 33-54.
Ciorciari J. (2012). Institutionalizing Human Rights in Southeast Asia. Human Rights Quarterly
34(3), pp. 695-725.
Oishi M. (2016). Can ASEAN Cope with Human Insecurity in Southeast Asia? In Search of a
New ASEAN Way. Chapter 7 in Human Insecurities in Southeast Asia, pp. 103-119.
Week 10. Borders and Human Mobilities (Mar. 20, 22, 24)
Petcharamesree S. (2015). ASEAN and Its Approach to Forced Migration Issues. International
Journal of Human Rights, (2), pp. 173-190.
Munro P. (2012). Harbouring the Illicit: Borderlands and Human Trafficking in Southeast Asia.
Crime, Law, Social Change 58, pp. 159-177.
Due: Reaction Memo 3. Coverage: Weeks 8-10.
Week 11. South China Sea (Mar. 27, 29, 31)
Truong T-D. & Knio K. (2016). "A Critical Genealogy of the Emergence of the South China Sea as
a 'Complex' in International Relations" and The United Nations Convention on the Law of the
Sea (UNCLOS III) and China's Assertion of the U-shaped Line." Chapters 3 and 4 in The South
China Sea and Asian Regionalism: A Critical Realist Perspective, pp. 27-83.
Week 12. Ecological Stresses and the Environment (Apr. 3, 5, 7)
Varrkey H. (2014). Regional Cooperation, Patronage and the ASEAN Agreement on
Transboundary Haze Pollution. International Environmental Agreements 14(1), pp. 65-81.

Elliot L. (2011). ASEAN and Environmental Governance: Strategies of Regionalism in Southeast

Asia. Global Environmental Politics 12(3), pp. 38-57.
Week 13. Holy Week Break
Week 14. Integration I (Apr. 17, 19, 21)
Top-down regionalism and institution building.
Acharya A. (2012). Whither Southeast Asia? Chapter 9 In The Making of Southeast Asia:
International Relations of a Region. Ithaca & London: Cornell University Press, pp. 289-301.
Dent M. (2006). The New Economic Bilateralism in Southeast Asia: Region Convergent or
Region-Divergent? International Relations of the Asia Pacific, 6(1), p. 81
Jones D. & Jenne N. (2015). Weak States Regionalism: ASEAN and the Limits of Security
Cooperation in Pacific Asia. International Relations of the Asia-Pacific 16(2), pp. 209-240.
Week 15. Integration II (Apr. 24, 26, 28)
Bottom-up region-building efforts and challenges.
Jnsson K. (2010). Unity-in-Diversity? Regional Identity-building in Southeast Asia. Journal of
Current Southeast Asian Affairs, 29(2), pp. 41-72.
Chu T-W. (2016). "Human Insecurities in Southeast Asia: Impediments to Achieving a PeopleOriented ASEAN." Chapter 10 in Human Insecurities in Southeast Asia, pp. 157-172.
Allison L. (2016). ASEANs People-oriented Aspirations: Civil Society Influences on Nontraditional Security Governance. Australian Journal of International Affairs, 71(1), pp. 24-41.
Due: Reaction Memo 4. Coverage: Weeks 11-15.

Week 16. Research Break (May 1, 3, 5)

Week 17. Wrapping Up (May 8, 10, 12)

We take stock of some of the general themes discussed in the semester and discuss the research
papers.
Due: Research Paper
GENERAL GUIDELINES
1. Plagiarism. All written assignments shall be uploaded to Turnitin. Students who have
plagiarised any written work will be subject to disciplinary action as prescribed by the
university rules and the students magna carta. For tips on how not to commit
plagiarism, click here.

2. Referencing. I am used to the APA style, but you can use others as long as its consistent.
For various formatting guides, click here.
3. Oral Examination. I may require a short oral examination on your final paper.
4. Attendance. Per university rules, you cannot exceed six absences in the duration of the
semester. If you come 10 minutes after the bell has rung, you will be marked late. If you
come 30 minutes after the bell has rung, you will be marked absent. Absences will not be
recorded if you can provide documentary evidence that you were sick, indisposed or off
on an official university activity.
5. Absences/Sickness/Other Issues. If you have health issues that you think may affect
your performance in class, please do not hesitate to approach me at the beginning of the
semester so we can make necessary adjustments.
6. Late Submissions. All late submissions will garner a 0.5-point deduction per 12 hours
after the deadline.
7. Consultations. Please e-mail to set an appointment during the hours listed above. If you
cannot make it during those periods, we can arrange to have a virtual chat by Skype at a
time convenient to us both.
8. E-mail. These are great for short queries. I usually reply within 24-48 hours. If I do not
reply, please re-send your message.