Asia's New Regionalism

by Ellen L. Frost

"As the political drive to establish closer ties among Asian governments continues to gain momentum, there has been much debate about the realities of Asian regionalism. Does the community-building activity add up to nothing more than talk, or does it signal the birth of "Asia Major"? What are the obstacles to closer integration? And is the integration movement actually a positive trend for the region, for external actors, and for world order? Sifting rhetoric from fact and drawing on a rich variety of perspectives, Ellen Frost offers a nuanced analysis of the historical, political, economic, and strategic issues at stake." "A central theme in Asia's New Regionalism is the contrast between integration driven by national governments for political and security reasons and spontaneous integration in maritime regions fueled by the resurgence of centuries-old ethnic, cultural, and economic ties. Frost's lively exploration of these sometimes mismatched dynamics also highlights critical impli