Foreword

Summary

There is already a very large literature on regional institutions. Why should Evi Fitriani's new book, Southeast Asians and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM): State's Interests and Institution's Longevity, merit the attention of readers? In my view, there are two core reasons why this book deserves attention and, indeed, is quite likely to win attention.

One is the volume's distinctive focus. Fitriani examines one of the least explored and least appreciated of the major regional bodies — the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) — and she brings to it a self-consciously Southeast Asian perspective. ASEM has received relatively less attention than the other high-profile regional groupings in part because its trans-regional nature has been seen by many as having an inherent implausibility about it. Could a body that aimed to link two very large and very different regions — each of which is highly heterogeneous — really amount to anything, or even sustain high-level political engagement for more than a brief period?

Fitriani explores the reasons ASEM has endured despite widespread scepticism. She supplements her assessment of the scholarly literature with a valuable body of empirical evidence arising from an extensive range of interviews she conducted with key players across Southeast Asia. This offers a distinctive window onto the dynamics of ASEM that has not previously been available to us.

If one reason to pay attention to this book is the distinctive focus of the scholarship, a second — perhaps less immediately apparent — reason is what this author represents. Evi Fitriani is in the vanguard of a rising cohort of Indonesian social scientists who are not content to speak only to local debates inside Indonesia, but seek also to engage with global scholarly discourse. There is a determination and confidence in this cohort that cannot be overlooked.

This is an altogether welcome development. Indeed, international research ventures and funding bodies are now keen to engage with Fitriani and her cohort. We can all look forward to hearing more from this new wave of Indonesian scholarly voices, and Evi Fitriani's will be prominent among them.