This study looks at factors affecting perceptions of external threats held by the leadership of each of the five ASEAN member-states. Five relevant 'dimensions' are identified (structural, geopolitical, historical, sociocultural, and economic), and the perceptions of the five states' leaders of the major external threats facing their nations are examined on these dimensions.

This book explores elite perceptions of the external threats facing the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), drawing on Dr. Tilman's interviews with senior political, military, and intellectual leaders in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. He supplements his interviews with an examination of their writings, speeches, and other public statements, which he examines in the context of the history, geography, culture, and governmental structures of each country. He addresses the fundamental questions of the extent to which these perceptions differ and why. His focus throughout is on subjective reality--the world as it is perceived by the leadership of the ASEAN nations.

Asia has emerged as the centre of international conflict and change in the post-war era. In Europe the post-cold war approach is to adjust East-West power relationships without disturbing the territorial status quo, and to conduct foreign policy according to classical European principles of compromise and compensation. Asians are newcomers in world affairs. Asian diplomatic traditions differ from European ones, and there are many border disputes and power rivalries. The idea of 'Asia' was created by Europeans for Europeans and it led to Western dominance of Asia. From colonial subjects, Asians have become important players in military, economic and diplomatic affairs. To understand the Asian dimension of contemporary world affairs we need to take a fresh look at Asian diplomatic ideas and practices. This volume brings together recognised experts to explain the imperatives and external policies of different types of Asian states.

This ground-breaking volume considers the ethical aspects of foreign policy change through five interrelated dimensions: conceptual, security, economic, normative and diplomatic. Defining ethics and what an ethical foreign policy should be is highly contested. The book includes many very different viewpoints to reflect the strong divergence of opinion on such issues as humanitarian intervention, free trade, the doctrine of preemption, political corruption and human rights. The thematic approach provides this volume with a clear organizational structure, giving readers a balanced overview of a number of important conceptual and practical issues central to the ethical analysis of states' conduct and foreign policy making. An impressive group of international scholars and practitioners, including a New Zealand Foreign Minister, a US National Security Advisor, and an ICJ Justice, makes this volume ideally suited to courses on international relations, security studies, ethics and human rights, philosophy, media studies and international law.