Regionalism, Rights and Order in Southeast Asia

This course provides a detailed investigation into the history, working and challenges/opportunities facing regional order and questions of human rights in Southeast Asia. The course is designed to examine the origins, contemporary relevance, nature and future of human rights promotion and protection in Southeast Asia from a regional and institutional perspective by juxtaposing the growing commitment to rights within ASEAN, the shifting fortunes of domestic and regional civil society, and the participation of regional states in extra-regional rights activities, most notably at the United Nations. In doing so it seeks to explain Southeast Asia's unique approach to institutionalising human rights, and to provide students the opportunity to critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of this approach. The course provides an opportunity to assess the multi-institutional nature of the Southeast Asian human rights space through considering the role of domestic, regional, transnational and global actors.