Civil Society in Search of an Alternative Regionalism in ASEAN

The document explores 'alternative regionalism' in Southeast Asia, arguing that civil society (track-three) is essential for reforming ASEAN. It notes that while engagement has historically been limited to academics and economic actors, there is a growing demand from NGOs and CBOs for a bottom-up, institutionalized process to include the region's 550 million people in policy-making, particularly regarding human rights and economic development.

• There is currently a lack of common understanding and insufficient theoretical or practical debate regarding what 'alternative regionalism' specifically entails within the Southeast Asian context.
• Alternative regionalism in Southeast Asia is characterized by a push for a bottom-up process that includes a wide range of stakeholders and emphasizes people's participation in the ASEAN policy-making process.
• Historically, ASEAN's engagement with civil society has been limited primarily to academic community members and a small number of economic actors, though NGOs and CBOs are viewed as natural partners for regional projects due to their ability to address issue-specific challenges independently.
• Civil society groups are increasingly motivated to engage with ASEAN to promote sustained economic development and human rights, leading to a demand for ASEAN to institutionalize engagement mechanisms that accommodate the diverse aspirations of the region's 550 million people.

APA

Chandra,, A. C. (2009). Civil Society in Search of an Alternative Regionalism in ASEAN. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/civil-society-search-alternative-regionalism-asean

Chicago

Chandra,, Alexander C. Civil Society in Search of an Alternative Regionalism in ASEAN. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2009. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/civil-society-search-alternative-regionalism-asean.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Chandra, |first1=Alexander C. |title=Civil Society in Search of an Alternative Regionalism in ASEAN |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=25 June 2009 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/civil-society-search-alternative-regionalism-asean |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{chandra2009civil, author = {Chandra,, Alexander C.}, title = {{Civil Society in Search of an Alternative Regionalism in ASEAN}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2009}, month = jun, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/civil-society-search-alternative-regionalism-asean}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }