Indonesia, Australia and the 'ASEAN Family'

Abstract

This paper aims to cast light on the nature of ASEAN, and Indonesia’s role within ASEAN, by exploring two questions: (1) Who belongs in ASEAN? (2) How does ASEAN work? These questions uncover a host of other themes: ASEAN’s place in the global context; ASEAN’s relations with countries such as Australia, the United States and China; the strengths and limitations of ‘the ASEAN Way’ in dealing with shifting and complex regional problems; the role of bilateral relations; how Indonesia, as the region’s potential hegemon, exercises its influence within ASEAN; how ASEAN deals with states such as Myanmar; how ASEAN responds or might respond to ongoing problems, such as China’s claims in the South China Sea.