Publication

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been the most significant multilateral organization in this part of the world for the past forty-five years. This paper, however, argues that it is nowhere near having fulfilled its potential. Because it lacks needed power and internal coherence, its ability to address complex economic and political problems is limited, which means it remains a questionable platform for East Asian integration, a second-tier actor on the world stage, and an imperfect security partner for the United States.