Asian Studies Commons^™

Indonesia-France Defence Cooperation: Strengthening Naval Power With Scorpene Submarine Amid Regional Dynamics, Ruben Firman Ardiansyah, I Gede Wahyu Widnyana, Muhammad Syaroni Rofii

Global: Jurnal Politik Internasional

This study examines Indonesia’s submarine procurement cooperation with France, analysing whether it provides the appropriate amount of power to ensure Indonesia’s survival amid the great power rivalry in the Indo-Pacific region. Using a descriptive qualitative method, the research applies the framework of defensive realism to examine the power to survive. The findings suggest that Indonesia’s choice of the Scorpene-class submarine aligns with its primary security objective. The advanced lithium-ion technology in these submarines offers superior operational endurance and stealth capabilities compared to the conventional submarine technology provided by South Korea and Turkey. The Transfer of Technology (ToT) agreement with France …

Moral Positioning In The South China Sea Disputes Between The Philippines And China, Eryan Ramadhani

Global: Jurnal Politik Internasional

For the past two decades, disputes between the Philippines and China over the South China Sea (SCS) have experienced continuous escalation. Benigno Aquino III filed an arbitration case against China. This legal success was later overturned by Rodrigo Duterte in exchange for closer relations with China. However, his decision did not cease hostility in the SCS. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. then brought the Philippines back on legal track and steered the country closer to the United States, which further heightened tensions. Built on this background, this article intends to explain the unceasing escalation in the SCS using Positioning Theory (PT). This …

The U.S. Grand Strategy Toward The Pacific Islands, Angela Vasovic

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The United States has recently placed its relations with the Pacific Islands, fourteen small states far out in the Pacific Ocean, on its high-priority diplomatic agenda. Although it has been interacting with the islands since the 1800s and had heavily relied on their cooperation during World War II, the importance of the islands waned in the eyes of the United States in the late twentieth and the beginning of the twenty first century as the country turned its attention to other regions of the world. However, in recent years, the U.S. has recognized the need to strengthen relations with the …

Repositioning North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato): The New Security Dilemma On Trans–Atlantic Relations Amid Shifting Global Geopolitics, Daniel C. George, Indra Alverdian

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

The shifting global geopolitics have led to a new security dilemma in Europe, especially in trans–Atlantic relations. NATO as the vanguard of the trans–Atlantic defense pact is faced with transitional conditions of non-conventional threats that return to conventional threats. Due to the shift in the new global order, these threats require a repositioning for NATO to counter the new security dilemma amidst shifting global geopolitics. By referring to the three asserted pillars–the return of conventional warfare on the European continent; a more assertive Russia in the European continent under Vladimir Putin; and the geopolitical of China's rise impacted trans–-Atlantic …

The Transformation Of Thailand's Diplomatic Relations After The Bowring Treaty Of 1855: From Under The Chinese Diplomatic System To The Modern Diplomatic System, Kotchaphop Kornphetcharat

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

The Bowring Treaty of 1855, formally known as the Treaty of Friendship and Commerce between the British Empire and the Kingdom of Siam (now Thailand), marked a pivotal moment in Siam’s integration into the global economy. Prior to the treaty, Siam's international trade was primarily conducted under the Chinese tributary system, which significantly shaped its economic and diplomatic interactions. The 1855 treaty, however, dramatically shifted Siam's foreign relations by diminishing China’s dominance as the regional power and opening Siam to increased European influence and trade. This research delves into the multifaceted impact of the treaty on Sino-Thai relations, examining its …

The History And Manifestations Of The Metaverse In Contemporary Literature, Marlon Semuel Contantin Kansil, Wanting Sun

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

The metaverse, an interactive and immersive virtual world, has emerged as a critical theme in contemporary literature, significantly impacting narratives and character development. This paper explores the history and literary manifestations of the metaverse, investigating its influence on identity, space, and social interactions. We find that the metaverse supports flexible and individualistic identities, reshaping how characters and readers understand themselves. The digital space of the metaverse provides a dynamic setting for moral and emotional conflicts, enriching the literary aesthetics of space. Furthermore, literature plays a crucial role in both shaping and reflecting the concept of the metaverse, employing symbolism and …

Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement (Defa): Implications For Digital Trade And Regional Economic Integration, Brice Tseen Fu Lee, Linh Dieu Dinh, Juan Pablo Sims, Salman Ali Bettani

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

The ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) represents a pivotal initiative in advancing regional digital integration and economic development. This paper explores DEFA's potential impacts on digital trade and regional economic cohesion within ASEAN. By reviewing ASEAN’s official publications and relevant literature, the study evaluates how DEFA aims to address the challenges posed by fragmented digital regulations and infrastructure. The framework's emphasis on harmonizing digital standards and enhancing interoperability is anticipated to facilitate smoother cross-border transactions and reduce regulatory barriers, thereby driving trade and investment in digital services. Economic projections suggest that DEFA could significantly enhance ASEAN’s digital economy, potentially …

Adaptation For Whom? Understanding The Impacts Of Dyke Policies On Small-Scale Farmers In Ca Mau Province Of Vietnam, Nguyen Minh Quang, Nguyen Van Minh, Nguyen Vo Chau Ngan, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Low-lying deltas worldwide are extremely vulnerable to sea-level rise. As the risks of climate-induced flooding become increasingly clear, the thirst for infrastructure-driven adaptation increases. This highlights a patent need to understand the impacts of engineering adaptation solutions, especially those targeting built structures such as dykes and sluices, on farmers from a bottom-up, farmer-centred perspective. The study addresses this call by examining cases where dyke policies, while successful in some dimensions, have undermined small-scale farmer livelihoods in Ca Mau ― Vietnam’s southernmost rural province. It identifies areas in need of attention and adds empirical data related to this group of farmers. …

A Geopolitical Economy Analysis Of China And India’S Approaches To Transnational Data Governance, Yujia He, Ka Zeng

Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce Faculty Publications

Recent literature on the behavior of rising powers in digital trade and data governance highlights their discourses of data sovereignty and desire to preserve domestic policy autonomy. This article contributes to the literature by employing a political economy lens that shifts the focus from the nation-state/inter-state framework towards the dynamics of state–capital relations, allowing for a more historical and contextual understanding of the geopolitics of data governance in emerging economies. Using China and India—two of the largest emerging economies—as comparative cases, and drawing on secondary data from government documents and other sources, the article argues that the interplay between the …

Liberalizing The Nuclear Energy Sector: Small Modular Reactors, Net-Zeros, And Perceptions In India, Hely Desai

International Journal of Nuclear Security

The experimental small modular reactors (SMRs) have come to gain immense attention and importance given the global quest to quickly achieve net-zero goals. The Indian Government, too, has been pushing for SMRs to aid its industrial decarbonization targets and eventually wield the supply mediation in the race to acquire this novel technology. However, one of the key debates driving SMR discourse in India is the dilemma of allowing the involvement of the private sector into the nuclear energy realm. Although this idea seems to be an exciting solution to India’s energy woes, the reevaluation of a 60-year-old energy law comes …

The Rise Of Mao: Chinese Civil War And The Role Of Sub-State Actors, 1924-1949, Jackson Trahant

Tenor of Our Times

Mao Zedong led one of the most successful peasant rebellions in human history, changing the global stage of politics forever. Analysis of the 30 year war between Mao’s CCP and the Nationalist Party regime, led by Chiang Kai-shek, reveals the vital role of the Chinese peasant class as a force for revolution. Through ideological pedagogy, Mao formed a highly loyal army that in turn transformed him into a premier political figure of the 20th century, both hated and revered. His story informs the modern field of comparative politics as to how intrastate conflicts rely on sub-state actors for their success.

Indopacom Force Structure: A Trajectory Into The 2030s, Robert Burke

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Over the past ten years Taiwan has become a major point of friction between the United States and People’s Republic of China with both militaries preparing for a potential conflict over the island. China vastly expanded its military forces and capabilities over the past thirty years and is intent on obtaining the ability to both seize Taiwan by force and prevent the United States from generating enough combat power to intervene and defend the island. The Pentagon began to restructure its conventional forces in the Western Pacific at the end of the 2010s, implementing new operational concepts designed to fight …

Powering Understanding: Cultural Underpinnings Of U.S.-China Competition In The Green Energy Transition, Bryan J. Soh

CMC Senior Theses

Rejecting the structural determinism of contemporary IR theories that neglect diverging epistemic predispositions in different states, this paper traces the cultural rationalization of green transition policies in the U.S. and China, thereby paving a way towards a positive understanding of how bilateral climate diplomacy can be better adapted for cooperation, rather than antagonistic competition, on an issue that transcends borders.

Rubber Wars: Rubber At The End Of Empire In Colonial Malaya, C. 1945–57, Fiona Williamson

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This article argues the Malayan rubber industry’s fortunes both reflected and coloured the relationship between Britain and the USA during the early Cold War era. British Malaya had developed a world leading rubber industry within a few short decades. The importance of rubber to burgeoning manufacturing and transport industries however – especially in the United States – meant that the commodity became caught up in the geopolitics of a changing world order. During the 1920s and 1930s, Britain had dictated international market rules due to their largely unrivalled position but the Second World War had changed the global balance of …

Diaspora Politics And A Rising China: Ambivalent Ties Amid Geopolitical Changes, Jiaqi M. Liu

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Over the past decade, the rise of China on the global stage has witnessed the emergence of members of the Chinese diaspora as new meso-level actors in mediating Sino-Western relations. As part of China’s burgeoning “public diplomacy” around the globe, Chinese migrants organize cultural events to establish grassroots and semi-official exchanges between China and the West. This chapter provides a state-of-the-art examination of so-called “diasporic public diplomacy” whereby the Chinese diaspora plays an increasingly important role in promoting China’s soft power abroad. Based on long-term fieldwork in a prominent emigrant community, I analyse how Chinese national policies envision two specific …

China’S Mediation Of The Saudi-Iranian Rapprochement And Its Implications On Regional Peace And Security, Henelito Jr A. Sevilla

Journal Of Middle East and Islamic Studies

The Middle East’s geopolitical landscape during the Cold War was characterized by ideological and religious differences among regional powers and their conflicting allegiances to the United States and the Soviet Union. Iran and Saudi Arabia held vast energy reserves and shaped regional divisions along religious and geopolitical lines. These divisions carried over to the post-Cold War era, exposing the Middle East to decades-long crises and proxy warfares. Domestic and regional problems are intensified by the interference of external powers, further deteriorating the prospects of peace and security in the region. Small countries avoid entanglement in big-power rivalries and focus on …

Ai, American Politics, And Modern Warfare, Madisen Campbell

Space and Defense

As artificial intelligence (AI) transforms modern warfare, it will pose profound ethical challenges for America’s constitutional democracy.

Technological advancements in the world today, particularly the field of artificial intelligence (AI), impact the current political system in the United States. The importance of understanding and addressing the complex challenges and opportunities of incorporating AI into American politics is key to developing a profound understanding of AI in modern warfare and the implications it has for policy making in America. The need for policy makers and military leaders to receive insight on the development of AI and to develop strategic approaches for …

U.S. 5g Technology Policy: Competition Or Boycott?, Wes Ferguson, Kyle Vargus

Space and Defense

Rather than corral allies and partners across the globe into boycotting Chinese 5G telecommunication systems, U.S. officials should embrace free-and-fair trade competition against China, even in products and services where China may enjoy a technological lead.

The race for technological supremacy has emerged as a defining characteristic of the newest era of great power competition. China and the United States compete to become the dominant world power. Each side is racing to create the latest and most elite technologies to catapult themselves into the lead and give them the edge over their adversary. The fifth generation of wireless technology, called …

Atomic Assurance: Funding A Modern U.S. Test Readiness Program, Mark Tang

Space and Defense

To address intensified strategic competition with Russia and China, the United States should reinstate funding for a modern nuclear Test Readiness Program.

The U.S. has never faced the threat of two adversarial powers with nuclear arsenals that equal our own. With the emphasis on great power competition and mounting aggression by both China and Russia, the risk of conflict with either or both powers is growing. Currently, the U.S. is ill prepared for the possible existential challenge that is deterring conflict with two major nuclear peer adversaries. America’s defense strategy and approach towards the international order must change to protect …

Earth To Orbit: Three Models For Strengthening Space Deterrence, Anton Dahm

Space and Defense

Nuclear, cyber, and integrated deterrence models hold lessons for space deterrence strategy, including declared thresholds, resilient space architecture, and the embrace of international competition in technological innovation.

The United States depends heavily on space capabilities, significantly more than any other country. Not only does space enable navigation, communications, environmental monitoring, and other vital capabilities, but space has also been described as the most essential warfighting domain. However, the U.S. space architecture mirrors its early days: relying on important, expensive payloads on a limited number of satellites. While providing important capabilities to U.S. decision-makers, kinetic and non-kinetic weapons can easily target …

The German Zeitenwende: Turning Point Or Blind Alley?, Savannah Hollen

Space and Defense

The Zeitenwende, or turning point, announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, may end up leaving Germany with few good defense policy options.

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Germany vowed to change course, to expand and modernize its military, which for decades has been weak relative to the size of Europe’s leading economy. As bold as Germany’s declarations have been, German leaders may well have walked into a blind alley, unsure of exactly how Zeitenwende will happen, what the final results will be, or the consequences if they never come close to …

Strategic Space Cooperation: U.S. Space Command And The National Guard’S State Partnership Program, David Moore, Jesse Morehouse, Patrick Mitchell

Space and Defense

In 2022, the U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM) and the National Guard's State Partnership Program (SPP) began pursuing security cooperation objectives while integrating the space domain into greater deterrence efforts. As the newest combatant command (CCMD) with space as its Area of Responsibility (AOR), USSPACECOM has global strategic partnership interests and recognizes the value of the enduring relationships inherent in SPP. This cooperation allows the National Guard to offer its strong relationships, space expertise, and industry knowledge to USSPACECOM. This provides a foundation for USSPACECOM's security cooperation efforts. This article discusses the SPP's role in supporting USSPACECOM's engagement strategy and the …

Arms Control Optimism And Great Power Competition, Damon Coletta

Space and Defense

In its unjust war, Russia rakes at Ukrainian civilian targets using dual-capable missiles. China meanwhile tightens the screws on Taiwan as it cements its friendship with Russia and continues its buildup of strategic nuclear warheads.1 Conventional wisdom and U.S. policy under such tense conditions unduly discount expectations for arms control.2 Arms control, in the popular mind, centers on bans in testing or deployment, and is therefore terminally associated with disarmament. Trepidation about disarmament fuels assumptions in polarized democracy, and the United States in particular, about the narrow political conditions under which arms control can succeed during great power competition. Conventional …

Drone-Based, Boost-Phase Intercept Of North Korean Icbms, James D. Wells, William Priedhorsky, Frederick Lamb, Laura Grego

Space and Defense

North Korea currently has an adversarial relationship with the United States and has successfully tested both nuclear weapons and intercontinental-range ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of striking the continental United States.1 There are several ways the United States could attempt to address the threat posed by North Korea’s nuclear-armed ICBMs. Historically, the United States has relied on a policy of projecting military strength, fostering strong alliances, and maintaining a credible threat of retaliation to deter adversaries, including those with nuclear weapons, from initiating hostilities. Some have argued that this approach has been instrumental in preventing conflict between nuclear-armed nations, including North …

A Premature Obituary For Conventional Deterrence, Jeffery S. Lehmkuhl

Space and Defense

As the United States (US) continues to shift its weight of effort towards great power competition, some scholars and practitioners have questioned the relevance of conventional forces and their ability to deter. Chief among them is Sean McFate, who asserts that “conventional war is unicorn hunting” and that “no one fights that way anymore.”1 Jim Sciutto echoes McFate’s claims in his book The Shadow War and states that the US is losing to Russia and China in a new way of warfare that is conducted below the threshold of conventional warfare.2 Leading Russian General Valery Gerasimov furthered this claim when …

Nuclear Regimes In The 21st Century, Stephen J. Cimbala, Adam Lowther

Space and Defense

The modern nuclear operations practitioner is facing a more complex future than at any point since the height of the Cold War. Understanding the past, present, and possible future of nuclear force structure and doctrine offers the policy maker a useful way to make sense of unfolding events and place them within a broader context. With China, Russia, and North Korea all posing a growing nuclear risk to the United States, a strong grasp on the available options for countering these threats is certainly important.

Editor's Note, Damon Coletta

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents Vol. 15 No. 2

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Space And Defense Vol. 15 No. 2 Fall 2024 (Whole Issue)

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

(In)Visible China: Understanding Chinese Global Orders, Hassan Karrar, William A. Callahan, Carwyn Morris, Stephen Whiteman

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Where is China going? What does its alternative global order look like? We hear a lot about China’s grand projects like the Belt and Road Initiative, but how are they experienced on the ground in Africa, South America, and Asia?The Chinese Global Orders project brings together twenty-two scholars from five continents to explore these questions. As these four commentaries show, it seeks to pluralize the discussion by exploring “Chinese” beyond the PRC nation-state, “Global” as a space beyond the international, and “Orders” as a plural set of norms.The project seeks to do more than just describe Global China’s material impact, …