ASEAN Notes Archives - ASEAN Studies Center Universitas Gadjah Mada

Colonialism Beneath Protectionism: The Trade Disputes Between Indonesia and the European Union

Author: Daniel Situmeang Since the mid-20th century, many developing countries have been freed from the shackles of European colonial rule. Indonesia itself has been recognized as an independent state by […]

Unveiling Power Politics Behind Najib’s “Red-Carpet” Legal Treatment

Author: Aldi Haydar Mulia Photo by Bernd Dittrich on Unsplash In Malaysia, another twist to the tale of the convicted ex-Prime Minister, Najib Razak, has developed yet again. The Court […]

Forgotten: ASEAN’s Vision on Disaster Management

It was merely three months ago when Indonesians headed to the polls to elect their municipal leaders in the 2024 local elections. As many as 207 million eligible voters were […]

The Getaway Car Presidency: Prabowo, Power, and the Road to Nowhere

Drivin’ the getaway car We were flyin’, but we’d never get far Taylor Swift’s Getaway Car is a song about high-speed betrayals, thrilling escapes, and the eventual realization that running from one […]

RELIGION: BOON OR BANE FOR DEMOCRACY?

In December 2022, the Indonesian government passed a law that penalizes sex outside marriage. This is only one of the many changes in the criminal code that observers warn of […]

Redefining Commodities in International Trade: ASEAN Blue Carbon Initiative and Its Role in Navigating Climate Crisis in the Southeast Asia Region

Stepping further into the technological and industrial advancement age, the narration of sustainability in the international trade system has gained much attention from policymakers worldwide. Not only due to the […]

ASEAN Chairmanship 2023: Indonesia’s Tendency to Solve the South China Sea Territorial Disputes

On 13 November 2022, the handover of ASEAN chairmanship from Cambodia to Indonesia was held at the ASEAN summit. Adopted the “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth” theme, Indonesia is responsible […]

Embracing ASEAN Economic Community 2025: Unlocking Prospects and Overcoming Obstacles in Indonesia

Imagine businesses of all sizes, effortlessly trading goods and services across ASEAN borders, tapping into diverse markets, and seizing growth opportunities. Picture investors eagerly exploring investment prospects in ASEAN, fueling […]

ASEAN’s Pathway to Sustainability Through Green Recovery Post-Pandemic Covid-19: Challenge and Opportunity

Written by Wahyu Candra Dewi Striking in 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly brought disruption to people’s livelihoods worldwide. Upon its initial announcement in March, the pandemic extended from a […]

What’s Missing in the AHRD?: Synergizing with Civil Society Towards Better Human Rights Regime in ASEAN

Written by Gerald John C. Guillermo Civil society has long been a bastion of service and advocacy—contributing to the development and uplifting of lives, particularly in marginalized and underprivileged sectors […]

ASEAN’s Human Rights Promises and Pitfalls: Is the ASEAN Effective in Advancing its Human Rights Agenda?

Written by Arvhie Santos Background When the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) first recognized the concept of human rights in the ASEAN Charter promulgated in 2007, which led to […]

ASEAN at a Crossroads: An Autocratic Turn in the Region

According to Democracy Report 2022, published by V-Dem Institute, Southeast Asian countries were reported to experience either democratic stagnation or regression, indicating a shift towards a more autocratic region. Although […]

The Challenge of ASEAN Institutionalism in Outer Space

Written by: Ade Meirizal & Dinda Julia Putri A lot of people are blurry to consider space. Space activities are more complex. Not only for telecommunication, banking, and GPS utility, […]

AUKUS Impact for Achieving ASEAN Vision 2025

Written by: Hastian Akbar Stiarso & Rayhan Fasya Firdausi The newly formed trilateral security partnership between Australia, the UK, and the United States (AUKUS) on 16 September 2022 is a […]

Circular Economy in ASEAN: A Brief View on Plastics Harmonization and Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises Inclusion

Written by: Muhammad Rasyid Ridho On 18 October 2021, ASEAN’s Framework for Circular Economy for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) was promulgated at the 20th AEC Council Meeting. It signifies the […]

Amicable Solutions to Philippines’ Sovereignty Claim Over Malaysia’s Sabah

Written by: Arianne Joy Fabregas and Ahmad Amsyar Ahmad Effendy Before colonial powers arrived in the Southeast Asian region, the Malay Sultanates ruled northern parts of Borneo, i.e., Sultanates of Sulu […]

ASEAN Back in the Indo-Pacific Saddle

Written by: Seonyoung Yang Indo-Pacific has been one of the most spoken buzzwords regionally and globally. Discourses for conceptualizing Indo-Pacific are still in progress. The rift caused by exacerbated US-China rivalry, […]

An Online Citizen: Revealing Restrictions on the Freedom of Press and Mass Media in Singapore

Written by: Syukron Subkhi Democracy is continually evolving to keep pace with the changing nature of the world. In the digital era, a new form of democracy has emerged through […]

ASEAN Para Games 2022: From Sports to Cultural Diplomacy

Written by: Ferdian Ahya Al Putra Indonesia should be proud after successfully organizing the Asian Games and Asian Para Games in 2018. Now Indonesia is assigned to host the ASEAN […]

ASEAN Commitment on COP 26: Taking a Step Forward in Climate Action

After being delayed for a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the UNFCCC finally hosted its biggest climate conference, the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) from October […]

Taliban and the Opium: Reviewing ASEAN’s Securitization of the Golden Triangle

Taliban’s recent victory in Afghanistan, marked by US troops withdrawal and the fall of Kabul, may present proof of its success in managing and dominating various strategic sectors that contribute […]

Making Sense of Southeast Asia: Lessons learned from #ReaLISM (Reading, Learning and Investigating Southeast Asia through Movies)

Southeast Asia is a growing, full of potential, yet contested region. The population of Southeast Asian countries combined makes the world’s third-largest market. However, the region also struggles to address its […]

Time to Prepare Rowing between Two Great Islands Again

Since the mid of September 2021, there has always been news and columns about AUKUS in the mass media headlines. AUKUS, the trilateral military cooperation between Australia, the UK, and […]

Fighting Climate Change: A New Challenge for ASEAN Multilateralism

The Unique Challenges and Impacts of Climate Change on the ASEAN Member States Although climate change poses risks for populations globally, mitigating climate change is particularly crucial for Southeast Asian nations. Unfortunately, […]

Robbery and Piracy in SEA (South-East Asia): Protecting the Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOC)

The maritime element widely connected our world. Two-third of the Earth’s surface is covered by sea and ocean. Sea is not only providing huge natural resources which can be explored and exploited but also […]

The Youth Resistance Towards Myanmar’s Military Coup: Efforts of Young Generation Protest Through Art

What is Happening in Myanmar? On the 1st of February, Myanmar’s military forces enacted a state of emergency and began a coup d’état. This circumstance occurred because they claimed that the […]

ASEAN’s Diplomacy: Walking A Tightrope

By Tunggul Wicaksono Since the military ousted and detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the series of events in Myanmar poses several challenges to the Association of Southeast Asian […]

Refugees and Asylum Seekers in ASEAN: Suggested Remedies

By Yulida Nuraini Santoso and Gading Gumilang Putra Human rights groups worldwide are startled by the regression of support towards refugees and asylum seekers. Malaysia had recently deported over 1000 migrants […]

Norms Competing, East or West in ASEAN

By Seon Young Yang Political pundits, scholars, and diplomats have been inculcated with steadfast notions, i.e., norms and rules-based manners. Led by the school of liberalism, the values of multilateralism […]

The Unnerving Act East Policy and the Uninterested ASEAN

By Habibah Hasnah Hermanadi, M.A (Photo: thailand-business-news.com) India has been “acting east” for quite a while now but how does the East respond? Well, if the East in this context […]

How Does RED II Discriminate Indonesian and Malaysian Palm Oil Industry?

By Intan Tawaddada Ilaiha (Photo: World Resource Institute Indonesia) The banning of Palm oil usage in the European Union ruins the economy of smallholder farmers in Indonesia and Malaysia. It […]

Theorizing a College of Southeast Asia

By Truston Yu (Photo: Vindur, Polish Wikipedia) For seven decades, the College of Europe has produced distinguished alumni members who had gone on to take up important posts in the […]

A Switzerland Model for Timor-Leste? Prospects of Differentiated Integration in ASEAN

By Truston Yu (Photo: VOA) Nearly two decades have passed since Timor-Leste became Southeast Asia’s youngest country, their quest for membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) remains […]

5 Months Left for Southeast Asia to Build the Case in UNSC

By Truston Yu (Photo: White House, Pete Souza) On 17 June, the United Nations General Assembly elected the new class of non-permanent members to the United Nations Security Council. India […]

ASEAN Cultural Exchange in the Era of Interconnectedness – Examining the 3 Campus Model

By Truston Yu (Photo: Culture 360 Asia-Europe Foundation) In my very first lecture on Southeast Asian politics, I learned about the creation of an institutionalized Southeast Asian Studies discipline in […]

What Southeast Asian Studies Could Learn from Japan

By Truston Yu (Picture: CSEAS Kyoto University) The Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) at Kyoto University could be seen as the pinnacle of Southeast Asian Studies in Japanese scholarship. […]

Southeast Asian Studies and ASEAN Studies: What’s the Difference?

By Truston Yu (Picture: Businesswest) Ever since I began my research on Southeast Asia, there has been a lingering question that intrigued me: what is the difference between Southeast Asian […]

A Provincial Level Approach to Studying China-Southeast Asia Relations

By Truston Yu (Picture: Wikimedia) With the implementation of projects under the Belt and Road umbrella, China is becoming increasingly relevant to Southeast Asia. While China’s relative influence might be […]

How Taiwan Could Capitalize on its New Southbound Policy

By Truston Yu (Picture: Wikimedia) 20 May 2020 marked the inauguration ceremony of Taiwan’s reelected President Tsai Ing-wen, signaling a continuation of her New Southbound Policy (NSP), which engages eighteen […]

Challenges and Prospects for Korea’s New Southern Policy

By Truston Yu (Picture: The Republic of Korea Cheong Wa Dae) On 9 November 2017, President Moon Jae-in announced the New Southern Policy (NSP), a new “core diplomatic initiative” aimed […]

FORCED LABOR OF THE ROHINGYAS: A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY, A PORTRAYAL OF MODERN SLAVERY, AND A CHALLENGE TO ASEAN COMMUNITY

By Alifa Salsabila, SH (Picture: Council on Foreign Relations) In April 2020, the Rohingyas were denied entry to Malaysia due to the country’s fear over Covid-19 transmission. Recently, around a […]

Rejection to the Rohingyas: Reimagining the Law, With or Without A Pandemic

By Alifa Salsabila, SH (Picture: The Diplomat) “Unaccepted where they are, unable to return whence they came” by Leon Gordenker (1987, p. 213) is articulating what had just happened in […]

The Achilles Heel: Disputes Between ASEAN Member State

By Fadhil Haidar Sulaeman (Picture: Peter Paul Rubens) This essay will discuss intra-ASEAN regional disputes and their impact on more significant economic and political integration in the region. Since ASEAN […]

Sustainable Fisheries in Southeast Asia: A Long Way to Go

By Fadilah Rahma (Picture: Blue Growth) The fisheries industry plays a vital role in the ASEAN economy. The region has been a significant producer of fish and other fish products, […]

Indonesian “Total People’s Defense” Against Coronavirus

By Rafyoga Jehan Pratama Irsadanar and Muhammad Aziz Irfanuddin (Photo: Indonesian Ministry of Defense) Unlike some other countries which utilize military measures to push the people to stay home under […]

Southeast Asian Migrant Workers in the Pandemic

By Muhammad Fakhri Abdurahman (picture: Flickr/ILO) Southeast Asia is arguably the region with the heaviest implications of the coronavirus pandemic. With one the most populous region and one of the biggest […]

A Growing Stigma: The Danger of Discriminating Against the Rights of Healthcare Workers

By Muhammad Diaz Kurniawan (Photo by: Lemparbatu) Whether doctors, nurses, administrative officers, kitchen staff or janitors at quarantine centers, all are at the frontline of handling the COVID-19 pandemic that […]

ASEAN, the Quad, and China: A Security Contestation for the Indo-Pacific Region

By Fadhil Haedar Sulaeman (Photo: The National Interest) In June 2019, ASEAN leaders successfully adopted the “ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific” (AOIP) at the 34th ASEAN Summit. The outlook, formulated by […]

Japan’s Free Vessels to Natuna: Is It Really Free?

By Rafyoga Jehan Pratama Irsadanar (Photo by Sizuru-commonswiki) Japan started 2020 with foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu paying an official visit to Viet Nam, Thailand, Philippines, and Indonesia on January 5-11. […]

Indonesia, Making Sense of Coronavirus

By Yulida Nuraini Santoso (Photo: Agus Suparto) As citizens of Indonesia carefully eyed the latest number of positive cases of the Coronavirus and death tolls, sad news struck. On Wednesday […]

INTER-DEVELOPMENTAL DIVIDE & INTRA-DEVELOPMENTAL DIVIDE OF CLMV COUNTRIES AND ASEAN OLDER MEMBER STATES

by Fara Sheila Azalia, Intern for Program Division of ASEAN Studies Centre, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Picture by ASEAN.org) ASEAN which previously comprised of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, and […]

Timor-Leste’s ASEAN Membership: To Be or Not to Be?

by Muhammad Fazlur Zikra Arifuddin (photo via VOAIndonesia) As it is known for several years, the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) has always comprised of 10 members. However, since […]

Orphanages and their volunteers: A look at Cambodia’s orphanage voluntourism industry

by Amelia Harvey (picture by Tormod Sandtorv) Orphanages for children are increasing in number globally and throughout much of Southeast Asia. Worldwide, UNICEF has estimated that as many as 8 […]

ASEAN: A Safe Haven for Ruling Class?

by M. Daffa Syauqi A (Photo by Lance Cpl. Kasey Peacock) It has been 52 years since the conception of ASEAN in 1967 as the leading inter-state organization in Southeast […]

It is confirmed – Jakarta remains the Capital of ASEAN

Written by Truston Yu On Sunday 6 October at the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia’s (ERIA) editors’ roundtable in Bangkok, ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi affirmed that […]

ASEAN SOCIO-CULTURAL COMMUNITY: BUILDING A DISASTER-RESILIENT COMMUNITY

Written by Muhammad Ammar Hidayahtulloh (Picture: Jeffrey Beall) Introduction Geographically speaking, ASEAN region is one of the most vulnerable regions to disaster in the world. There are several tectonic plates […]

A Resilient ASEAN?: ASEAN and Resilience in Natural Disaster

By Nisrina Husnul Khotimah and Kevin Iskandar Putra (Picture: Aris Daeng) People in Palu and its surrounds are still struggling to survive a month after the 7.5 magnitude earthquake and […]

ASEAN Smart Cities Network: Getting Closer to the Utopia

Written by Nathania Vivian Hermawan (Picture: Basile Morin) Introduction At the 32nd ASEAN Summit, countries approved Singapore’s chairmanship theme, “Innovative and Resilient”, as an articulation of their strategic position in […]

Technopreneurship Among the Youth as Supporting Factors for Economic Sustainability of ASEAN towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Written by Cavin Dennis Tito Siregar Science and Technology have never stopped advancing since the very first time humans invented fire. The fact that we are experiencing The Fourth Industrial […]

ASEAN YOUTH COLLABORATION TO BUILD ASEAN IDENTITY

Written by Salimah Idzaturrohim (picture: US Department of State) Introduction ASEAN was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, which was initiated by 5 countries, which were Indonesia, Malaysia, […]

Questioned Centrality: Will ASEAN Stand Stronger in the South China Sea?

Written by Rahina Dyah Adani, University of Gadjah Mada (picture: Reuters) The unimproved situation in the South China Sea has questioned ASEAN’s so-called ‘centrality’ in security of the region. The […]

Questioning Digital Integration via E-Commerce as New Force of Regional Integration

Written by Muhammad Rasyid Ridho, a Graduate Student of International Relations Universitas Gadjah Mada. ABSTRACT The newest ASEAN Leaders’ Vision encompasses e-commerce as its underlined issue. As its relevancy […]

The Battle Against Trafficking in Persons: Is ASEAN Heading in the Right Direction?

Written by Firstya Dizka Arrum Ramadhanty, International Relations Undergraduate Student, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada In the last two decades, ASEAN’s battle on acknowledging the […]

Strengthening ASEAN’s Political-Security Pillar through Pool of Sovereignty

Written by Turin Airlangga, student at the Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies (GSAPS), Waseda University Tokyo, Japan. He can be reached atturin.a@fuji.waseda.jp Abstract ASEAN as an entity and Southeast […]

ASEAN Agreement on E-Commerce: What It Tries to Tackle

By Robbaita Zahra The OECD defines e-commerce as “the sale or purchase of goods or services, conducted over computer networks by methods specifically designed for the purpose of receiving or […]

Reforming North Korea’s economy: What role for ASEAN?

Shah Suraj Bharat/Jakarta Photo by Uri Tours (Wikipedia) The peace process between the two Koreas is exactly– a peace process – something that has eluded the peninsula after 70 years […]

The Indo-Pacific Affairs: Between India’s Ambitions and ASEAN’s Position

Habibah H. Hermanadi – Research Associate to Institute of International Studies and Post-graduate candidate from University of Delhi India imagined a larger role beyond its current dominance in South Asia, […]

The Tightening Belt Around ASEAN’s Narrowing Road to Success

By Matthew LoCastro, illustration by Lommes (Wikipedia) The Belt and Road Initiative within ASEAN The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also known as One Belt One Road (OBOR), is one […]

Decoding the Indo-Pacific outlook

See original post in Bangkok Post The 34th Asean Summit wrapped up last week in Bangkok, with the adoption of a crucial document known as the Asean Outlook on the […]

Indonesia’s Journey to Reduce 70% of Marine Waste by 2025

by Carter Anne Jones* Pictures: Forest and Kim Starr Indonesia produces 3.2 million tons of mismanaged trash ever year with nearly 1.3 million tons ending up in the sea. This […]

ASEAN EE Industry: What Now?

Picture: Electronics factory workers in Cikarang Indonesia (© ILO/Asrian Mirza https://www.flickr.com/photos/iloasiapacific/8096440106/in/photostream/) The heart of ASEAN’s regional economic connectivity, both in intra-regional and extra-regional trade, is the electronic and electrical (EE) […]

CREATING A DRUG-FREE ASEAN: HOW FAR HAVE WE COME?

By Jonathan Evert Rayon Based on the World Drug Report in 2018, 31 million people worldwide suffered from drug use disorders resulting in millions enduring health risks such as hepatitis […]

OUT OF JAKARTA: RELOCATION OF INDONESIA’S CAPITAL AND ITS IMPLICATIONS

By Truston YU Image: Merdeka Palace Changing Guard by Gunawan Kartapranata President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo recently announced plans to relocate Indonesia’s capital city to outside Java. Following Myanmar’s move from […]

ASEAN, EU collaboration needed to resolve palm oil dispute

Image: Palm oil mill in Sabah, Malaysia © CEphoto, Uwe Aranas The failure to upgrade ties between the EU and ASEAN to a new strategic dialogue partnership at the 22nd ASEAN-EU […]

Indonesia Refugee Policy is on Right Track

January 2019 marks two years of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s 2016 presidential decree on handling foreign refugees. The Presidential Decree no. 125/2016 on the Treatment of Refugees from Overseas, […]

Quo Vadis: Thailand’s Taking the Chair of ASEAN, Sailing in the Troubled Waters

After one year, Singapore has led the Association to progress in ASEAN’s three pillars, the next torch of the Association is now in Thailand’s grip. Faced with relentless fights against […]

The Challenges of Indonesia’s Palm Oil Industry: An Overview

The global debate on the sustainability and legitimacy of palm oil production is one that continues to evolve and define the industry. As Indonesia and Malaysia are the two major […]

ASEAN on Disaster Management: Earthquake and Tsunami in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

7,7 SR Earthquake and 1.5-meter-high tsunami hit Central Sulawesi, Indonesia on September 28th, 2018. The natural disaster caused various physical destructions, and fatalities; the death toll reached 1,948, and thousands […]

Modern Slavery: A Fight, Not Yet Won

The term slavery may sound a little bit old, but in fact, slavery still exists in this era with a new term: modern slavery. The term modern slavery is an […]

Panmunjom Agreement: The Role of ASEAN behind the Pacified Peninsula

Rafyoga Irsadanar A new stage of peacemaking had progressed in the Korean Peninsula as Kim Jong Un and Moon Jae-in declared that there will be no more war in the […]

Rethinking Strategies and Opportunities for ASEAN in 40 Years of Establishment of ASEAN-EU Dialogue Relations

Chitito Audithio Syafitri The year 2017 marks the 40th commemoration of ASEAN – EU Dialogue Relations, which brought together the two countries to adopt a Joint Statement on the 40th […]

ASEAN AND THE UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS – International Day of UN Peacekeepers

Kevin Iskandar Putra May 29th 2018 remarks the 70th Years of Service and Sacrifice of the UN Peacekeepers. Through the General Assembly Resolution 57/129 on the report of the Special […]

Indonesia should partner with NGOs to protect unaccompanied child refugees

Among more than 3,700 child refugees in Indonesia, close to 500 are unaccompanied minors. Many have no access to formal education and health care. They have to go through the […]

Indonesian Foreign Policy under Three Years of Jokowi’s Administration

Siti Widyastuti Noor October 2017, marked the third year of administration for Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi’ Widodo. In the beginning of his administration, Jokowi announced the nine prioritized agendas as […]

The ASEAN Enhanced Disputes Settlement Mechanism (EDSM): Functional for Economic Growth or Protecting National Sovereignty?

Suraj Shah As the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) seeks to deepen regional economic integration, the Enhanced Dispute Settlement Mechanism must avoid politicisation to optimise successful integration and economic development in […]

Indonesia Drags Its Feet on ASEAN Haze Treaty

Dio Herdiawan Tobing, Universitas Gadjah Mada In May, I went with my research team to Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, one of Indonesia’s hotspots of land and forest fires. We wanted […]

Indonesia’s refugee policy – not ideal, but a step in the right direction

Dio Herdiawan Tobing The Indonesian government needs to expand a presidential decree to protect refugees, by turning it into law. The definition the decree uses should also be broadened because […]

ASEAN After 50: Social Integration and the Challenges of New Geopolitics

Ahmad Rizky M. Umar and Karina Larasati B. Riyanto What should ASEAN do in the next 50 years? For ASEAN, its survival for the last 50 years is a […]

ASEAN After 50: ASEAN and Good Governance

Pinto Buana Putra ASEAN is a regional organization that is build to accelerate cooperation between member states in regional level. Within ASEAN there is no uniform political quality that would […]

ASEAN After 50: Mainstreaming Paradiplomacy in ASEAN

Ario Bimo Utomo During the last few decades, sub-state entities have been rising to prominence due to the increasing level of globalization. Anthony Giddens argues that this phenomenon is caused […]

ASEAN After 50: The Language of Gender Discrimination in Southeast Asia

Farieda Ilhami Zulaikha Why talk when you are a shoulder or a vault Why talk when you are helmeted with numbers Fists have many forms; a fist knows what it […]

ASEAN After 50: Reflecting ASEAN as Collective Identity

Rifki Maulana Iqbal Taufik The 50th anniversary of ASEAN is the right moment to evaluate every achievement and the projections for the future. An evaluation is not limited only to […]

ASEAN After 50: Climate Justice and Smallholder farmers

Ibnu Budiman The combination of climate change mitigation and adaptation is essential for millions of smallholder farmers in ASEAN. However, does it consider farmers’ rights and development to achieve a […]

ASEAN After 50: Is the ‘ASEAN Way’ still relevant?

Dio Herdiawan Tobing Unlike other regional or international organizations, ASEAN possesses its own model of diplomatic engagement: the ASEAN Way. For so many years, the ASEAN Way has always been […]

ASEAN After 50: Rethinking ASEAN-China Cultural Cooperation

Dr. Gabriel Lele ASEAN-China cooperation has stepped towards a new phase in the recent decade. As ASEAN is celebrating its 50th anniversary, it is important to rethink the cooperation in […]

ASEAN After 50: Studying the Lands Below the Winds

Dendy Raditya A. On August 8th this year, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will celebrate its 50th anniversary. This is the right time to reflecting on what had […]

ASEAN After 50: Defending Human Rights in ASEAN

Jakkrit Chuamuangphan As 2017, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) marks 50 years since first founded in 1967. To date, ASEAN has shown a huge success in realizing the regional […]

ASEAN After 50: Escaping the Middle Income Trap

Suraj Shah Several ASEAN member states such as Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia have sustained impressive growth rates in recent decades. Whilst this is a good news for […]

ASEAN After 50: Why Political and Economic Integration are Not Sufficient

Ahmad Rizky Mardhatillah Umar ASEAN is now 50 years old. Originally established only as a platform for interstate dialogue, ASEAN has progressed through the ‘long and winding road’ to become […]

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons: Historic Progress, Yet Not a Complete End to the Struggle

122 members of the United Nations, including Indonesia, voted in favor for the adoption of an international treaty eliminating the use of nuclear weapons, at the UN Conference to Negotiate […]

Digitalizing ASEAN (2): Three Key Pillars

In the second of two-series article, we introduce ASEAN Youth Initiative Empowerment Programme, a one-week program for ASEAN Youth organized by ASEAN Studies Center, Universitas Gadjah Mada. The theme of […]

Digitalizing ASEAN (1): What It is and Why It is Important

In this first series of article, we introduce ASEAN Youth Initiative Empowerment Programme, a one-week program for ASEAN Youth organized by ASEAN Studies Center, Universitas Gadjah Mada. The theme of […]

ASEAN Economic Community: In Search of a Single Production Base

A key motivation behind the pursuit of a comprehensive ASEAN Economic Community is to establish a single production base. By doing so, ASEAN member states hope to increase their competitiveness, […]

Marawi’s Crisis Requires ASEAN’s Centrality, Not External Intervention

Since the past two weeks, Southeast Asia has been putting a serious concern to its security and stability caused by the state of crisis in Marawi and Mindanao. Isnilon Hapilon, […]

ASEAN Summit 2017: A Conclusion to South China Sea?

In April this year, the ASEAN Summit kicked off at the heart of the Philippines – Metro Manila. With the theme entitled “Partnering for Change, Engaging the World”, this summit […]

Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI) and the New Politics of Regionalism in Southeast Asia

China officially launched the Belt and Road Initiatives on May 2017. Attended by 29 partner countries (with the absence of some prominent neighbours such as India), the launching of the […]

UAE-ASEAN Relations: Beyond “Emirates’ Diplomacy”?

In the past several years, there is an increasing tendency among the countries of the Gulf to direct their foreign policies towards the growing economies of Asia. Despite relatively unreported, […]

‘Brexit’, the European Union, and the ‘Communication Deficit’: A Lesson for ASEAN

‘Brexit’ has created shockwaves through the European Union and called into question whether regional integration is sustainable, and ASEAN is watching developments closely. A key issue that ASEAN must learn […]

Has ASEAN Moved Away from ZOPFAN?

From April 26-29, Manila hosted the 30th ASEAN Summit. The summit is expected to make progress on the current geopolitical crisis which affects the Southeast Asian region. Among the rests, […]

Why ASEAN Needs to Regulate Land and Water Grabbing Issues

Political stability and food security are inter-related both at national and regional level. The distortion of political instability would eventually affect food availability and distribution. On the one hand, food […]

Developing Halal Tourism within IMT-GT Sub-regional Cooperation

Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand held the 10th Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle in Manila, Philippines. Represented by the presence of Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Najib Razak, and […]

Capital Drugs Law in Southeast Asia: A Homicide against Humanity

Southeast Asia is one of the world’s largest markets for synthetic drugs and capital drugs law is highly practiced by retentionist states in the region. ASEAN largest member states: Indonesia, […]

Why Southeast Asia is Prone to North Korea’s Crisis

Regional instability remains one of the serious concerns for Southeast Asian countries. ASEAN itself is facing unresolved conflicts and disputes that push the regional institution into stalemate position. Rohingya Refugees’ […]

ASEAN at 50: Has the Philippines Enhanced the Power of ASEAN’s People?

ASEAN agreed to put its concern on the importance of its people through the pillar of ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC). Among the three pillars, ASCC is conceivably the one given […]

Is Single-sex Education Promoting Education Equality?

Seeking to promote the education equality for boys and girls, ‘Single-sex Education’ has become a growing trend. Sex segregated education, which separates boys and girls, or commonly known as Single-sex […]

Socialising Human Rights in ASEAN

U Ko Ni, a legal advisor of National League for Democracy (NLD), was shot in Rangoon Airport on February. He was returning from an official visit to Indonesia addressing […]

Modelling International Lawmaking in ASEAN

ASEAN and its model of international law has always being questioned by many international lawyers for its informal nature of law-making processes in concluding agreements among member states. For […]

Why Indonesia Needs to Reform Maritime Security Governance

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) seems not to show any significant progress in the aspect of maritime security governance. The reason lies under the ignorance towards the existence and role […]

Is Indonesia Choosing the Indian Ocean Rim Association Over ASEAN?

Indonesia’s substantial involvement in IORA signifies a stage of crisis for ASEAN. From March 5 to 7, Jakarta played host to the leader’s summit of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), […]

ASEAN Economic Community Today: From Neo-liberalism to New Structuralism?

In 2010, the World Bank published a book that shed light on a new framework for world development: New Structural Economics. Authored by the Bank’s Chief Economist Justin Yifu Lin, […]

ASEAN Countries Should Find a Solution to End the Persecution of Rohingya

Ahmad Rizky M. Umar – Research Fellow at the ASEAN Studies Center, Universitas Gadjah Mada ASEAN’s non-intervention is aggravating the plight of ethnic Rohingya Muslims suffering widespread abuse by the Burmese military […]

The Future of ASEAN-Russian Relations

Shane Preuss, Research Intern at the ASEAN Studies Center, Universitas Gadjah Mada ASEAN’s strength is demonstrated by its ‘convening power’ and its ability to attract the courtship of the world’s […]

The Future of ASEAN-Australian Relations

Shane Preuss, Research Intern at ASEAN Studies Center, Universitas Gadjah Mada 2016 was a significant year for Australian ASEAN relations. The First ASEAN-Australia Biennial Summit was held on 7 September 2016 […]

ASEAN Toward Global Market Integration: Enhanced Connectivity & External Relationship

Arrizka Permata Faida Best 10 Author of Call for Essay: ASEAN Community Post 2015 The establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 is a major milestone in the […]

Indonesia Needs to Step up Its Fight Against Maritime Piracy

Dedi Dinarto – Researcher at ASEAN Studies Center UGM Indonesia’s maritime sector gained a boost when on December 21, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan agreed to cooperate with Japan, establishing […]

What ‘Brexit’ and ‘Trump’s Triumph’ Warn Us About ASEAN Community

Shane Preuss, Research Intern at ASEAN Studies Center, Gadjah Mada University One year after the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community, it is important to ask what relevance the […]

ASEAN Political-Security Community: The Prospect of South China Sea

Muhammad Ammar Hidayahtulloh Best 10 Author of Call for Essay: ASEAN Community Post 2015 ASEAN is located strategically at the crossroads of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, and […]

Behind EU-ASEAN Free Trade Agreements: Do Norms Matter?

Shane Preuss, Research Intern at ASEAN Studies Center, Universitas Gadjah Mada The EU is currently attempting to pursue both normative political interests and economic interests in the ASEAN. I argue that […]

Where is ASEAN in Indonesia’s Foreign Policy? Jokowi after Two Years

Ahmad Rizky M. Umar Research Associate at ASEAN Studies Center UGM Under President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, Indonesia appears less oriented toward the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Earlier in […]

The Role of International Organization in Managing Global Refugee Crisis

Thursday, 24 September 2016 Gedung BD Fakultas Ilmu Sosial dan Ilmu Politik, Universitas Gadjah Mada This public lecture aims to discuss the problem of refugee issues, which has been […]

A Single Monetary Regime in ASEAN: Panacea or False Hope

Muhammad Rasyid Ridho[1] & Wening Setyanti[2] 3rd Winner of Call for Essay: ASEAN Community Post 2015 Basically, there are four pillars under ASEAN economic integration: (1) a single market and production […]

Drawing ASEAN Limits and Strengths in Tackling Terrorism: Study Case of Abu Sayyaf Group

Novita Putri Rudiany-Kholifatus Saadah 1st Winner of Call for Essay: “ASEAN Community post 2015” ASEAN actually had discussed terrorism issue before 9/11 happened, since the summit in 1997 and […]

Trump and the Death of ‘Pivot to Asia’ Doctrine

Bara E. Brahmantika, Guest Contributor The result of 2016 US election has paved the way for Donald Trump to be the 45th president of United States, and many people are […]

What Comes after ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 2015: A Threat from China’s Economic Downfall

Niki Wahyu Sayekti, 2nd Winner of Call for Essay: “ASEAN Community Post 2015” ASEAN governments have spent decades crafting their reliance on the Chinese economy, with a strategic relationship shaped […]

Donald Trump and the Global Politics of “Strongman Leaders”

Habibah Hermanadi, Research assistant of ASEAN Studies Center UGM Donald Trump has been elected as the 45th President of the United States. As predicted, the result triggered massive reaction […]

What does “Trump’s Triumph” Mean for ASEAN?

Dedi Dinarto, Researcher at ASEAN Studies Center UGM The triumph of Donald Trump for the presidential election in the United States of America has brought about a shock for world […]

Does Indonesia Need a “Post-ASEAN” Regional Order?

Ahmad Rizky M. Umar In his recent article in The Jakarta Post (18/5), Rizal Sukma (now Indonesian Ambassador to the United Kingdom) embraced an interesting argument: it is time to […]

ASEAN Countries Military Strength Infographic

The Way of ASEAN Non-Confrontation: Backdoor Diplomacy or The Inability to Conduct Diplomacy in Public Spaces

Dio Herdiawan Tobing, Research Intern at ASEAN Studies Center UGM In the past few days, Indonesia’s first Right of Reply in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has attracted […]

In the Thick of Fear and Idea: Wither ASEAN Centrality?

Dedi Dinarto Long before the discourse on the future of ASEAN centrality, S. Rajaratnam and Thanat Khoman have put their respective ideas on the ontological part of ASEAN, meaning […]

ASEAN fights against trans-border crime

This article was published on 7 September 2016 in Jakarta Post Dedi Dinarto – Research Assistant at ASEAN Studies Center UGM Given the rising concerns over transnational organized crime in […]

Southeast Asia: Refugee Crisis and the Customary Law of Non-Refoulement

Dio Tobing – Intern at ASEAN Studies Center, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada If the European Union is still dealing with mass influx of forced […]

Glimpse of Hope: Student-led Protest in Malaysia

Dedi Dinarto – Research Assistant at ASEAN Studies Center, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada Encouraging students to actively participating in protest movement remains arduous. The busy […]

The 49th ASEAN: Who Does What and How?

Dedi Dinarto – Research Assistant at ASEAN Studies Center, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada Indonesian scholar Shofwan Al Banna Choiruzzad through his prominent book titled ‘ASEAN […]

From a Security Regime into a Security Community: Is it Time?

Habibah H. Hermanadi – Research Intern at ASEAN Studies Center UGM 2016 begun with yet another terrorist attack to one of the ASEAN member states, Indonesia, the attempt of suicide […]

Sea as Political Space under ASEAN’s Flag

The obscurity of ASEAN facing the South China Sea issue after the victory of the Philippines against China in the tribunal ruling showed the fragmented ASEAN. Various views criticized potential […]

Seeking a Common Ground

By Habibah H. Hermanadi, Research Intern at ASEAN Studies Center UGM At the end of the 2016 ASEAN regional summit all member states are looking forward to the joint declaration […]

After Tsunami: ASEAN Reborn?

Mohammad Hazyar Arumbinang, Intern staff ASEAN Studies Center UGM. A powerful Indian Ocean earthquake was constructed on December 26, 2004, with the epicenter off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. […]

FCTC and Tobacco Control Policies in Southeast Asia: the “Special” Case of Indonesia

Andika Putra, Research Intern at ASEAN Studies Center Universitas Gadjah Mada Tobacco is one of the greatest emerging health disasters in human history[1], it’s generally use among the poor and […]

Year of Laos: Queries for the New ASEAN Chair

Habibah Hermanadi, Intern Staff ASEAN Studies Center Universitas Gadjah Mada The role of ASEAN chairmanship will be held in the hands of Laos in 2016; despite the fact that it […]

ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution: The Indonesian Commitment

Andika Putra, Intern staff at ASEAN Studies Center UGM Indonesia has finally ratified the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) on September 2014. After 12 years, the ratification was […]

ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) dan Dialog Antar-Agama: Sebuah Tinjuauan Kritis

Dedi Dinarto, Asisten Riset Pusat Kajian ASEAN UGM Berakhirnya tahun 2015 menjadi titik awal bagi integrasi masyarakat ASEAN yang menekankan aspek ‘people-centered’ sebagai fokus baru di kawasan. Beberapa dokumen ASEAN telah memasukkan istilah ini dengan tujuan […]

Japan-Philippines Defense Pact May Worsen South China Sea Tension

Dedi Dinarto, Research Assistant at ASEAN Studies Center, Universitas Gadjah Mada On February 29, 2016, the signing of a defense pact between Japan and the Philippines confirmed as a strategic […]

Malaysia’s Foreign Policy: Where Malaysia Stands and What It Means

Photo source: https://ripplesoftruth.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/kuala-lumpur-25.jpg Habibah Hermanadi, Intern staff ASEAN Studies Center UGM In 2012, The Edge Malaysia published a concise explanation regarding Malaysia’s position and how it sees ASEAN. It stated that […]

Mahathir, Identitas, dan Masa Depan ASEAN

Photo source: http://www.katariau.com/foto_berita/16Mahathir%20Muhammad.jpg Dedi Dinarto, Asisten Riset ASEAN Studies Center UGM Beberapa menit yang lalu, saya menutup lembar terakhir dari sebuah otobiografi mantan Perdana Menteri Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad. Bacaan tersebut […]

Category: ASEAN Notes