The Asian Way to Peace: A Story of Regional Cooperation

(Hardback)

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While Europe has traditionally been the role model for international cooperation, this volume suggests a new highly successful mode. Using a flourishing operational code of diplomacy known as the Asian Way, Asian regional cooperation has gone even further to unite disparate countries for economic and political objectives. Culminating 20 years of research, this volume defines the Asian Way. It then provides details on 50 regional organizations in an effort to study this spirit of regional cooperation. Highlighting the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the author concludes that Asian international relations has been ASEANized and increased economic progress has been advanced in two decades through the application of the Asian Way. Examining in microcosm how nations conduct their foreign relations in Asia, this volume provides a list of regional organizations. It details their organizational charts, provides membership lists and reveals funding formulas and projects undertaken. The author explains how, through the application of the principles of the Asian Way, the countries of Southeast Asia have resolved their conflicts, harmonized foreign policies, begun projects of regional economic cooperation and ultimately advanced prosperity.

Reviews

In 1989 Haas wrote two volumes on the increasing regional cooperation and institutionalization in Asia and the Pacific. One focused on the South Pacific area (The Pacific Way, CH, Nov'89), the second--the volume under review--on East, Southeast, and South Asia. Both volumes describe regional organizations and arrangements that have come into existence in Asia and the Pacific; they illustrate two related themes, the Pacific Way' and the Asian Way.' The Asian Way, according to Haas, is based on six principles: Asian solutions to Asian problems, equality, consensus building, incrementalism, administration subordinated to politics, and Pan-Asianism.' It is described as a cultural theory of international cooperation' and as a new theory of international statecraft in the region.' The bulk of the book consists of descriptions of 53 regional organizations and a large number of affiliated organizations. There are 53 tables and 67 figures. The central organization, in Haas's view, is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). His concluding chapter is titled The "ASEANization' of Asian Regional Cooperation.' A useful reference work for upper-division undergraduate and graduate students of contemporary Asian affairs. . . .-Choice
"In 1989 Haas wrote two volumes on the increasing regional cooperation and institutionalization in Asia and the Pacific. One focused on the South Pacific area (The Pacific Way, CH, Nov'89), the second--the volume under review--on East, Southeast, and South Asia. Both volumes describe regional organizations and arrangements that have come into existence in Asia and the Pacific; they illustrate two related themes, the Pacific Way' and the Asian Way.' The Asian Way, according to Haas, is based on six principles: Asian solutions to Asian problems, equality, consensus building, incrementalism, administration subordinated to politics, and Pan-Asianism.' It is described as a cultural theory of international cooperation' and as a new theory of international statecraft in the region.' The bulk of the book consists of descriptions of 53 regional organizations and a large number of affiliated organizations. There are 53 tables and 67 figures. The central organization, in Haas's view, is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). His concluding chapter is titled The "ASEANization' of Asian Regional Cooperation.' A useful reference work for upper-division undergraduate and graduate students of contemporary Asian affairs. . . ."-Choice

Author Bio

MICHAEL HAAS, a Professor of Political Science at the University of Hawaii, has held visiting appointments throughout the world. The author or editor of 23 books and over 100 articles, he is a major developer of the functionalist theory of international relations.