Pirates? Maritime piracy and societal security in Southeast Asia

Abstract

For many Piracy conjures up romanticised notions of English, Dutch and French seafaring adventurers of the seventeenth century. Today, however, piracy remains a problem of national and international concern, particularly in and near to the territorial waters of Southeast Asia. This paper examines contemporary piracy in the light of theoretical developments within International Relations and Security Studies that have broadened the scope of traditional militarily‐defined security. Furthermore it examines the various institutional responses of governments and international agencies alike to effectively combat the threat from piracy while similarly examining the possible causal factors behind the rising numbers of attacks on commercial and non‐commercial shipping.