Does Multilateralism still Matter? Asean and the Arctic Council in Comparative Perspective

Bibliographic Data

ID21793643
AuthorsMark Beeson (0000-0002-8659-262X, The University of Western Australia, corresponding author), Jolanta Hewitt (The University of Western Australia)
Year2022
Volume13
Issue2
Pages208-218
Publication date2022-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGlobal Policy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1758-5880 • E-ISSN: 1758-5899
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/1758-5899.13025
OpenAlexW4220913650
LanguageEN
References cited59

At a time when the world faces a number of complex problems that transcend national borders and which individual states appear unable to address on their own, multilateralism ought to matter more than ever. All too often, however, attempts to encourage collaborative and effective responses to transnational problems are unable to overcome national interests, or lack the capacity to address novel challenges that defy easy resolution. Despite the urgent need for international cooperation, it is often conspicuous by its absence and it is not unreasonable to ask, does multilateralism really matter anymore? We argue that it does, if only because, there is no alternative. To illustrate multilateralism's weaknesses and potential strengths we provide a novel comparison of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Arctic Council, which reveals the importance of history, diplomatic styles, the significance of issue areas, and the motivations of members. The two bodies literally and metaphorically illustrate developments in the North and South, and provide a novel and revealing benchmark for measuring the success of multilateral bodies at different moments in history

Economics · International trade · Multilateralism · Political economy · Political science · Sociology · Strengths and weaknesses · The arctic · Arctic and Russian Policy Studies · Computer Science · International Development and Aid · International Relations and Foreign Policy · Law · Psychology · Social Psychology

Tools

Open DOI