Comprising case studies of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, this edited volume explores the key characteristics of democratic governance in Northeast Asia. Each democracy is assessed on the extent to which it enables the flourishing of social capital; prioritizes the interests of all as characterized by freedom from fear and want; and empowers all to participate in the democratic process and governance. With particular focus on the experience of minorities, this volume contends that the acid test of democratic governance is not how well the government represents the interests of the elites, or even the majority, but rather how it cares for the needs of vulnerable groups in society.
Good governance is an essentially contested concept. In Asian countries, economic efficiency and macro-economic projects have predominantly been pursued with the aim of promoting national, aggregate measurements of development. Hydroelectric power generation projects have played a central role in the national planning of several regional states as part of an attempt to achieve these goals. Even by their own terms of reference, however, hydroelectric power projects have at most a mixed record of success, and are increasingly criticized with regard to their negative impact on the environment, and upon vulnerable groups. The government of Malaysia has embraced the "developmental state" model, and this is best illustrated by governance initiatives and resource exploitation in the East Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah and their respective "development corridors". Sarawak's Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) is the most visible sign of Malaysia's macro-economic hydroelectric development focus, as Sabah's corridor focuses on trade, investment, and tourism. This article takes a critical perspective towards good governance, emphasizing that it should function in the interests of all society, but in particular the most vulnerable. It therefore addresses the impact of Malaysian hydroelectric development policies on one of the most vulnerable sections of Malaysian society, the indigenous peoples of Sarawak. The findings cast doubt on the validity of continued prioritization of hydroelectric dam construction as a cornerstone of government energy and development policy. (Contemp Southeast Asia/GIGA)
The Politics, Challenges, and Future of un Peacekeeping Contributions from the Asia-Pacific / Boris Kondoch and Brendan Howe 123. - Northeast Asian Perspectives on UN Peacekeeping / Brendan Howe and Boris Kondoch 133. - Southeast Asian Perspectives on un Peacekeeping / Alistair D. B. Cook 154. - Australia and Peacekeeping / Peter Londey 175. - ramsi Ten Years On / Sinclair Dinnen 195 . - All-Japan Approach to International Peace Operations / Yuji Uesugi 214. - Thailand's Participation in un Peacekeeping Missions / Keokam Kraisoraphong and Brendan Howe 236. - Why Contribute? Understanding Asian Motivations for Troop Contribution to Peace Operations / Xenia Avezov 256
Part I. - Measuring Post-Conflict Development Success: Theory and Practice: Introduction, Brendan M. Howe. - Security, post-conflict development, and good governance in East Asia, Brendan M. Howe. - The responsibility to protect and Northeast Asia: the case of North Korea, Boris Kondoch. - Part II . - East Asian 'Success' Stories and Caveats: Aid to build governance in a fragile state: foreign assistance to a post-conflict South Korea, Jae-Jung Suh and Jinkyung Kim. - Human security and post-conflict development in Taiwan, Christian Schaeffer. - Post-conflict developments in the Vietnamese context - reform, conflict resolution and regional integration, Ramses Amer. - Part III . - East Asian Obstacle Case Studies and Opportunities: Human security in post-Cold War Cambodia, Sorpong Peou. - Oligarchic rule, ethnocratic tendencies and armed conflict in the Philippines, Nathan Gilbert Quimpo. - From authoritarian to democratic models of post-conflict development: the Indonesian experience, Edward Aspinall. - Part IV . - Past Asian Initiatives in the Field of Human Security: Working for human security: JICA's experience, Keiichi Tsunekawa and Ryutaro Murotani. - Korea's development assistance in fragile states: what is at stake?, Woojin Jung. - Human security in building the ASEAN community, Carolina G. Hernandez
