Photo from the ASEAN Studies Center, Chulalongkorn University Facebook Page.
Dr. Joefe Santarita, Dean and Associate Professor of the University of the Philippines, Diliman Asian Center, presented a study on the Feats and Frustration: ASEAN’s Trajectory for Five Decades at the 6th Chula ASEAN Week in Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand last August 1 to 4.
Read the abstract of the presentation below:
The Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has evolved over time from a simple regional organization which originally comprised of five member countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Singapore in 1967 to a bigger one with the inclusion of Brunei, Vietnam, Cambodia, Lao, and Myanmar in the last decades of 20th century. This paper evaluates the stages of ASEAN development by identifying the feats and frustrations as well as challenges encountered by the regional body for the past five decades. In particular, this paper discusses the institutionally-recognizable progress that has been made by ASEAN to ensure the fulfillment of human rights, fundamental freedoms, social justice, and security of its citizens among others. Moreover, this paper suggests policy recommendations/strategies in addressing the said challenges.
The week-long event focused on “ASEAN’s Next Step in Changing World”. The goal was to deepen understanding within the region through academic exchange and discussion among leading scholars, experts, policymakers, practitioners and the wider public. The Chula ASEAN Week was hosted by the ASEAN Studies Center, Chulalongkorn University, the Secretariat of the House of Representatives, King Prajadhipok's Institute, and International Institute for Trade and Development (ITD).
Dean Santarita specializes in Indian studies, migration studies, Philippine culture and society, maritime history and Southeast Asian political economy. Dr. Santarita, who obtained his Ph.D. in South Asian Studies from the National University of Singapore, handles several graduate courses at the UP Asian Center, including those on Regionalism and Community Building in Asia, Modern Asia, and Asia in Antiquity, among others. Visit his faculty profile.
The UP Asian Center offers M.A. degrees in Asian Studies with four fields of specialization: Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and West Asia. The Center also has an M.A. program in Philippine Studies that allows students to major in Philippine society and culture, Philippine foreign relations, or Philippine development studies. The Center offers a Ph.D. program in Philippine Studies in conjunction with the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy. Get an overview of these programs. The Asian Center also houses a peer-reviewed, open-access journal, Asian Studies: Journal of Critical Perspectives on Asia. It has published several books and monographs, and hosts or organizes various lectures and conferences.