Democratic transformation and regional institutions: The case of Myanmar and ASEAN

Journal article


Renshaw, Catherine. (2013). Democratic transformation and regional institutions: The case of Myanmar and ASEAN. Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs. 32(1), pp. 29 - 54.
AuthorsRenshaw, Catherine
Abstract

The focus of this article is Myanmar's transition to democracy, which is taking place after almost half a century of military rule. The former military rulers are themselves the architects of transition. This article notes that one of the key challenges faced by military regimes during this kind of transition is the problem of "credible commitments". In short, the issue is this: a transition will only be successful if it has the support of the political opposition and the public at large. But why should these groups believe in the promises of former tyrants? Problems of credibility and low expectations about the intention and capacity of the military to effect reform can cause destabilisation and undermine prospects for a successful transition. In worst case scenarios, instability leads to a resurgence of authoritarianism, or to a(nother) military coup. This article highlights the role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in assisting the transition and stabilisation of Myanmar's fledgling democracy. The argument is that ASEAN provides a means whereby Myanmar's leaders can make credible commitments about their intentions in relation to liberalisation and democratisation, lending support to Myanmar's reformist government at a crucial time in the transition to democracy. The article concludes that under certain circumstances, even regional organisations such as ASEAN, which are not comprised of a majority of democratic states, can (to a degree) influence perceptions about a democratising regime's commitment to reform.

Keywordscredible commitments; democratisation; Indonesia; Myanmar; regionalism
Year2013
JournalJournal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs
Journal citation32 (1), pp. 29 - 54
PublisherSage Publications Ltd.
ISSN1868-1034
Web address (URL)https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=poh&AN=89631602&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Page range29 - 54
Research GroupThomas More Law School
Publisher's version
File Access Level
Controlled
Place of publicationUnited Kingdom
Permalink -

https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/85321/democratic-transformation-and-regional-institutions-the-case-of-myanmar-and-asean

Restricted files

Publisher's version

  • 146
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 0
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month
These values are for the period from 19th October 2020, when this repository was created.

Export as

Related outputs

Poetry, irrevocable time and Myanmar's political transition
Renshaw, Catherine. (2020). Poetry, irrevocable time and Myanmar's political transition. International Journal of Transitional Justice. 14(1), pp. 14-34. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijtj/ijz039
Myanmar's transition without justice
Renshaw, Catherine. (2019). Myanmar's transition without justice. Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs. 38(3), pp. 381-403. https://doi.org/10.1177/1868103419893527
Human rights and participatory politics in Southeast Asia
Renshaw, Catherine. (2019). Human rights and participatory politics in Southeast Asia University of Pennsylvania Press. https://doi.org/10.9783/9780812295764
Indonesia, Australia and ASEAN
Renshaw, Catherine. (2018). Indonesia, Australia and ASEAN. In In T. Lindsey and D. McRae (Ed.). Strangers Next Door?: Indonesia and Australia in the Asian Century pp. 169 - 192 Hart Publishing. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781509918195.ch-010
Human Trafficking in Southeast Asia: Uncovering the Dynamics of State Commitment and Compliance
Renshaw, Catherine Michelle. (2017). Human Trafficking in Southeast Asia: Uncovering the Dynamics of State Commitment and Compliance. Michigan Journal of International Law.
Global or regional? Realizing women's rights in Southeast Asia
Renshaw, Catherine Michelle. (2017). Global or regional? Realizing women's rights in Southeast Asia. Human Rights Quarterly. 39(3), pp. 707 - 745. https://doi.org/10.1353/hrq.2017.0038
Human rights under the new regime
Renshaw, Catherine Michelle. (2017). Human rights under the new regime. In In A. Harding and K. K. Oo (Ed.). Constitutionalism and legal change in Myanmar pp. 215 - 234 Hart Publishing.
Top-down transitions and the politics of US sanctions
Renshaw, Catherine. (2017). Top-down transitions and the politics of US sanctions. In In M. Crouch (Ed.). The business of transition: Law reform, development and economics in Myanmar pp. 228 - 254 Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108236737
The regional context of Myanmar's democratic transition: What role for ASEAN's new institutions?
Renshaw, Catherine. (2014). The regional context of Myanmar's democratic transition: What role for ASEAN's new institutions? In In M Crouch and T Lindsey (Ed.). Law, Society and Transition in Myanmar pp. 359 - 376 Bloomsbury.
The ASEAN Human Rights Declaration 2012
Renshaw, Catherine. (2013). The ASEAN Human Rights Declaration 2012. Human Rights Law Review. 13(3), pp. 557 - 579. https://doi.org/10.1093/hrlr/ngt016
Law, Legitimacy and the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights
Renshaw, Catherine. (2012). Law, Legitimacy and the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights. Thammasat Review. Thailand: Thammasat University. pp. 51 - 70
NHRI's in the Asia Pacific Region: Change agents under conditions of uncertainty
Renshaw, Catherine. (2012). NHRI's in the Asia Pacific Region: Change agents under conditions of uncertainty. In In Ryan Goodman and Thomas Pegram (Ed.). Human Rights, State Compliance, and Social Change pp. 150 - 180 Cambridge University Press.
National human rights institutions and civil society organizations: New dynamics of engagement at domestic, regional, and international levels
Renshaw, Catherine. (2012). National human rights institutions and civil society organizations: New dynamics of engagement at domestic, regional, and international levels. Global Governance. 18(3), pp. 299 - 316.
The role of networks in the implementation of human rights in the Asia Pacific Region
Renshaw, Catherine. (2011). The role of networks in the implementation of human rights in the Asia Pacific Region. In In H. Nasu and B. Saul (Ed.). Human Rights in the Asia Pacific Region: Towards Institution Building pp. 185 - 208 Routledge.
Testing the mettle of national human rights institutions: A case study of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia
Renshaw, Catherine, Byrnes, Andrew and Durbach, Andrea. (2010). Testing the mettle of national human rights institutions: A case study of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia. Asian Journal of International Law. 1(1), pp. 165 - 198. https://doi.org/10.1017/S204425131000038X
Within the State
Byrnes, Andrew and Renshaw, Catherine. (2010). Within the State. In In D. Moeckli, S. Shah and S. Sivakumaran (Ed.). International Human Rights Law pp. 498 - 517 Oxford University Press.
Human rights protection in the Pacific: The emerging role of National Human Rights Institutions in the Region
Renshaw, Catherine, Byrnes, Andrew and Durbach, Andrea. (2010). Human rights protection in the Pacific: The emerging role of National Human Rights Institutions in the Region. New Zealand Journal of Public and International Law. 8(1), pp. 117 - 144.
'A tongue but no teeth?': The emergence of a regional human rights mechanism in the Asia Pacific region
Durbach, Andrea, Renshaw, Catherine Michelle and Byrnes, Andrew. (2009). 'A tongue but no teeth?': The emergence of a regional human rights mechanism in the Asia Pacific region. Sydney Law Review. 31(2), pp. 211 - 238.
The Globalisation Paradox and the Implementation of International Human Rights: the Function of Transnational Networks in Combating Human Trafficking in the ASEAN Region
Renshaw, Catherine. (2008). The Globalisation Paradox and the Implementation of International Human Rights: the Function of Transnational Networks in Combating Human Trafficking in the ASEAN Region. In D. Howard-Wagner (Ed.). ‘W(h)ither Human Rights’, Law and Society Association Australia and New Zealand (LSAANZ) Conference 2008. Sydney, Australia: University of Sydney. pp. 1 - 10
Joining the club: the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions, the Paris Principles, and the advancement of human rights protection in the region
Byrnes, Andrew, Durbach, Andrea and Renshaw, Catherine Michelle. (2008). Joining the club: the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions, the Paris Principles, and the advancement of human rights protection in the region. Australian Journal of Human Rights. 14(1), pp. 63 - 98.
Implementing Human rights in the Pacific through the work of national human rights institutions: The experience of Fiji
Renshaw, Catherine, Byrnes, Andrew and Durbach, Andrea. (2008). Implementing Human rights in the Pacific through the work of national human rights institutions: The experience of Fiji. Victoria University of Wellington Law Review. 14, pp. 251 - 278.