Enacting the Security Community:

ASEAN’s Never-ending Story

Author: Stéphanie Martel

ISBN: 9781503631106

Publisher: Stanford University Press

Year: 2022

Reviewd by Dr. Saroj Kumar Rath, University of Delhi

Ever since the first book on ASEAN security titled ‘The ASEAN Regional Forum: A Study in the Evolution of the Security Community’ was published by Amitav Acharya in 1999, the subject gained currency in terms of ASEAN's efforts to build a regional security community. In his subsequent volumes on the subject, Acharya expanded his foundational work and explained how ASEAN has developed a security community in Southeast Asia. He argues that ASEAN's success in fostering regional stability and cooperation is a result of its shared norms and practices, which have helped create a sense of community and prevent major conflicts among member states.

Stephanie Martel’s new volume in this series, ‘Enacting the Security Community: ASEAN’s Never Ending Story’, published in 2022 is a continuation of what Acharya started in examining the ASEAN and its role in forging security cooperation and community-building.

Since neither Acharya nor Martel belong to the geographic limit of ASEAN, both of their observations and explanations can be placed in the league of neutral observers dissecting the subject from a distant North America. Stephanie Martel, a researcher at Université de Montréal, in her work tries to offer insights into the interplay between regional organizations and global powers in shaping international relations.

One of the central themes of Martel’s analysis is the idea of ‘enacting’ a security community rather than simply describing it as a static reality. She uses the term ‘enacting’ to suggest that ASEAN’s security community is something that is continuously being shaped, negotiated, and reinterpreted over time by its member states. This perspective aligns with constructivist theory in that it views regional security as a socially constructed and dynamic process, rather than an objective or permanent feature of the regional order.

The author explains how an Asian-centric regional security architecture refers to a security framework tailored to the Asia-Pacific region’s political, economic, and cultural context and unlike Western models that prioritize institutions like NATO, it focuses on regional cooperation and institutions to address specific security concerns. ASEAN is central to this architecture, promoting peace through diplomatic dialogue and multilateral frameworks, such as the ASEAN Regional Forum and ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting.

The book goes on to explain how other institutions, such as the ADMM-Plus and Shangri-La Dialogue, contribute to cooperative defence efforts. Geopolitical challenges like territorial disputes, North Korea’s nuclear program, terrorism, and climate change further complicate the security landscape. India's increasing involvement in regional security, through its ‘Act East’ policy, strengthens the architecture alongside the evolving Indo-Pacific concept. Despite challenges, the author empirically proves how this architecture reflects a consensus on addressing security through dialogue, cooperation, and multilateral engagement to ensure peace and stability in Asia.

The author talks about how discourse plays a crucial role in the creation of a security community, where language, communication, and shared narratives help shape how states perceive and negotiate their collective security. A security community involves states with mutual trust, prioritizing cooperative security over confrontation. This process relies on diplomatic dialogue, treaties, and multilateral institutions to foster shared norms and values, like economic stability and regional peace. Through discourse, states construct their identities and define security, often moving from competitive to cooperative relationships. ASEAN’s approach, known as the ASEAN Way, emphasizes discourse, consensus-building and peaceful coexistence.

Stephanie cleverly enmeshes how interstate conflicts in the Asia-Pacific region are managed, with a particular focus on the role of regional institutions, diplomacy, and security frameworks. Management of conflicts in the region is deeply shaped by the dynamics of multilateralism, trust-building, and the balancing of regional power. One of the primary mechanisms she highlights is ASEAN, which plays a key role in mitigating tensions through its commitment to dialogue and consensus-building.

The book points to the importance of external powers, particularly the United States and China, in shaping regional security dynamics. ASEAN and China have a complex and multifaceted relationship, shaped by economic ties, regional security concerns, and geopolitical dynamics. While ASEAN and China share a robust economic relationship, their interactions are also shaped by ongoing security challenges, particularly over territorial disputes. The US’s pivot to Asia, and its network of alliances, contribute to the complexity of managing conflicts. However, Martel suggests that rather than escalating tensions, both powers have, at times, contributed to conflict resolution by engaging in multilateral frameworks, such as the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum.

Martel further explores how ASEAN’s emphasis on multilateralism and dialogue has allowed for more inclusive security frameworks that promote peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and the protection of citizens’ rights. This people-centred model aligns with ASEAN’s broader goals of economic development and regional integration, which are seen as vital for maintaining peace and stability. By focusing on the human dimension of security, Martel suggests that regional security can be more holistic and resilient, addressing not only the external and traditional threats but also the internal vulnerabilities that affect everyday life.

In summary, Martel’s concept of a people-centred security community underscores the need for a comprehensive approach to security, one that includes human well-being as a critical component alongside traditional state-based security concerns. This broader framework, as seen through ASEAN’s initiatives, fosters greater stability by recognizing and addressing the diverse challenges that impact people’s lives across the region.

The book offers fresh feed on ASEAN’s ability to adapt to the changing geopolitical landscape, particularly amid the rivalry between the US and China, while maintaining core principles like non-interference, consensus-based decision-making, and respect for sovereignty.

ASEAN’s vision of security has evolved over time, from its initial focus on preventing interstate conflict to broader concerns about non-traditional security threats like transnational crime, natural disasters, and pandemics. In the early years of the organization’s existence, the focus was on building a regional order that could prevent war and conflict in the wake of decolonization and the Cold War. The organization’s founding principles—non-interference, consensus decision-making, and respect for sovereignty—were designed to minimize the risk of interstate conflict.

Over time, however, the definition of security in the ASEAN context expanded. Martel traces this evolution in the book, noting how ASEAN has gradually embraced a broader conception of security, which includes issues like economic stability, human security, and environmental threats. The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), established in 1994, marked a significant step in this shift, as it provided a platform for dialogue on regional security issues, encompassing not just traditional military concerns but also non-traditional security threats.

One of the key elements of ASEAN’s vision of security, as outlined in the book, is the concept of ‘comprehensive security.’ This approach recognizes the interconnectedness of various security challenges—whether they are military, economic, environmental, or social—and promotes cooperation across a wide range of issues. The 2003 ASEAN Security Community Blueprint laid the groundwork for this broader view of security, envisioning a community where states would work together to address both traditional and non-traditional security concerns.

Martel not only elaborates the compelling notion of the framing of ASEAN’s security community, which is a never-ending story but she delved into the challenges the organization faces in adapting to changing regional and global dynamics.

Martel’s book makes a significant contribution to the literature on regional security communities by offering a nuanced analysis of ASEAN’s role in shaping regional order. However, the book sometimes overemphasizes the positive aspects of ASEAN’s security community-building efforts, glossing over the organization’s limitations and challenges. While the book acknowledges the difficulties ASEAN faces in achieving consensus and overcoming political differences among member states, it could delve more deeply into the internal tensions and contradictions within the organization. For example, ASEAN’s ability to deal with contentious issues like the South China Sea disputes, or human rights abuses in some member states, could be explored in more detail to provide a more balanced view of the organization’s capabilities and limitations. Additionally, the book could benefit from a more in-depth analysis of the role of civil society and non-state actors in shaping ASEAN’s security community. While Martel touches on the importance of external actors, the role of grassroots movements, NGOs, and other non-state actors in influencing regional security norms is not fully explored.

Finally, Martel’s work remains an essential resource for anyone seeking to understand ASEAN’s security community and its evolving role in the regional and global order.