The Politics of the Asia-Pacific : Triumphs, Challenges, and Threats

The Asia-Pacific region is characterized not only by unprecedented economic growth, but also as being one of the last bastions of authoritarianism. As such, deep political tensions persist in the region, and many questions remain surrounding the uncertainty of the Asia-Pacific’s geopolitical future. In __The Politics of the Asia-Pacific__, senior scholars, former diplomats, and emerging voices introduce readers to the complexities of the colonial history, economics, democratization, authoritarianism, governance, and security within the region. Written by a diverse group of contributors with unique expertise in the region, the book includes immersive active-learning sequences in the form of classroom simulations, including a Model United Nations emergency session involving North Korea, an ASEAN Summit, and a women’s movement conference. These exciting simulations are grounded in real-world descriptions of the politics of the region and encourage students to learn through role-playing, research, public-speaking, and diplomatic negotiations with peers. Exploring the region’s rapid economic growth and the great deal of politics that remain unsettled, The Politics of the Asia-Pacific shows why an education in global politics for the twenty-first century is incomplete without a consideration of this dynamic region. Cover 1 Half Title Page 2 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Dedication 6 Contents 8 Acknowledgments 12 Maps 14 1 The Politics of the Asia-Pacific: An Introduction 18 Colonialism 48 2 Colonial Legacies and Postcolonial Economic Development in East and Southeast Asia 50 3 A Historical Perspective on the Straits of Melaka: Transport,Trade, and the Layering of Colonialisms 63 Economics 76 4 Asia and Varieties of Capitalism 78 5 Why Are the Asia-Pacific’s Economies So Successful? 90 6 Building a Twenty-First-Century Economy in East Asia 104 Democracy and Authoritarianism 120 7 Democracy and Authoritarianism in Southeast Asia 122 8 Malaysia’s Democratic Moment versus Singapore’s Status Quo 147 9 Indonesia—A Young Democracy and Its Ongoing Renovation 161 10 Understanding Vietnamese Politics: How to Cope? 176 11 Climate Change in the Asia-Pacific: Democracy, Authoritarianism, and Policy 189 Security 208 12 Chinese Global and Regional Hegemony in the Twenty-First Century: Fate or Fantasy? 210 13 Civil War and Peace in the Asia-Pacific 229 14 Nuclear North Korea: Pyongyang’s Determination and the International Failure to Frustrate It 243 15 Peacebuilding in Cambodia and Timor-Leste 254 Governance and Regionalism 266 16 Asia-Pacific Regionalism and a Rising China 268 17 Contemporary ASEAN Region-Building and Regional Foreign Policy 282 18 Designing the Future of Cybersecurity in ASEAN 295 Active Learning Sequences 310 19 The Korean Crisis: An Emergency Session of the United Nations Security Council 312 20 The Women’s Movement in the Asia-Pacific 323 21 From the Asian Financial Crisis to the Looming Threat of Deglobalization: An ASEAN Plus Three Summit 335 Contributors 352 Index 356 "The Asia-Pacific region is characterized not only by unprecedented economic growth, but also as being one of the last bastions of authoritarianism. As such, deep political tensions persist in the region, and many questions remain surrounding the uncertainty of the Asia-Pacific's geopolitical future. In The Politics of the Asia-Pacific, senior scholars, former diplomats, and emerging voices introduce readers to the complexities of the colonial history, economics, democratization, authoritarianism, governance, and security within the region. Written by a diverse collection of contributors with unique expertise in the region, the book includes immersive active-learning sequences in the form of classroom simulations, including a Model United Nations emergency session involving North Korea, an ASEAN Summit, and a women's movement conference. These exciting simulations are grounded in real-world descriptions of the politics of the region and encourage students to learn through role-playing, research, public-speaking, and diplomatic negotiations with peers. Exploring the region's rapid economic growth and the great deal of politics that remain unsettled, The Politics of the Asia-Pacific shows why an education in global politics for the twenty-first century is incomplete without a consideration of this dynamic region."-- Provided by publisher