Contesting Sovereignty: Power and Practice in Africa and Southeast Asia

Sovereignty is a key concept in regional organization, but its demise has been predicted. This book examines the practice of normative contestation over sovereignty in the AU and ASEAN, comparing three case studies from each organization to determine whether a norm challenging sovereignty was accepted, rejected, or qualified.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 316 pages
Publication date: 13 July 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Sovereignty is a fundamental concept upon which regional organization of nations is established, yet its demise has frequently been predicted. Regionalism, which obliges states to adhere to common frameworks such as rules and norms, challenges sovereignty as states relinquish some sovereign power to achieve other objectives such as security, growth, or liberalization. This book examines the practice of normative contestation over sovereignty in two regional organizations of Africa and Asia – the African Union (AU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). A structured comparison of three case studies from each organization determines whether a norm challenging sovereignty was accepted, rejected, or qualified. Ng has conducted interviews about and detailed analysis of these six cases that occurred at formative moments of norm-setting and that each had very different outcomes. This study contributes to the understanding of norm contestation in the field of international relations and offers new insights on how the AU and ASEAN are constituted.

Sovereignty is a fundamental concept upon which regional organization of nations is established, yet its demise has frequently been predicted.

Regionalism, which obliges states to adhere to common frameworks such as rules and norms, challenges sovereignty as states relinquish some sovereign power to achieve other objectives such as security, growth, or liberalization.

This book examines the practice of normative contestation over sovereignty in two regional organizations of Africa and Asia – the African Union (AU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). A structured comparison of three case studies from each organization determines whether a norm challenging sovereignty was accepted, rejected, or qualified.

Ng has conducted interviews about and detailed analysis of these six cases that occurred at formative moments of norm-setting and that each had very different outcomes.

This study contributes to the understanding of norm contestation in the field of international relations and offers new insights on how the AU and ASEAN are constituted.

ISBN-13: 9781108796064