Synopses & Reviews
While successful processes of regional multilateralism are taking place in all corners of the world South Asia and its neighbouring regions have not been able to successfully cooperate in a regional framework. At present, there are four regional organizations or initiatives: the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral-Economic Cooperation, the Indian Ocean Rim-Association for Regional Cooperation and the Mekong Ganga Cooperation Initiative. Arndt Michael examines the genesis and evolution of these organizations by using the theoretical perspective of norm localization. The study focuses especially on India - a founding member in all four organizations - and traces the impact of India's foreign policy on the discourse, the development and the institutional designs of regional multilateralism.
Review
"It is an important topic especially with regard to the developing world. It is logically written and allows even non-specialists to grasp the basic topic. It is based on thorough knowledge of the existing literature and incorporates significant new original materials that make this a must read." William Head, Chair of Cecil B. Currey Book Award
"The book provides a rich analysis of India's contribution in the discourse, the development and the institutional designs of regional multilateralism. The value of the book also lies in its detailed discussion on the origin and evolution of the SAARC, BIMSTEC, IOR-ARC and MGC as well as a comprehensive analysis of 'India's Cognitive Prior'." - India Quarterly
Arndt Michael was awarded the Arnold-Bergstraesser Award for Political Science for 'India's Foreign Policy and Regional Multilateralism' in 2012. The book also received the Cecil B. Currey Book Award 2013 from the Association of Third World Studies (ATWS, USA) and the Gisela Bonn Award 2013 from the German-Indo-Society (Deutsch-Indische-Gesellschaft, Stuttgart).
Prizes:
Arnold-Bergstraesser Award for Political Science
Cecil B. Currey Book Award 2013
Gisela Bonn Award 2013
Synopsis
The book provides a novel analytical perspective on regional multilateralism in South Asia and its neighbouring regions and covers the genesis, evolution and status quo of the four major regional organizations.
About the Author
Arndt Michael studied law and social sciences at the University of Freiburg, Germany, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and the Jawaharlal Nehru University, India. He has been lecturing at the University of Freiburg since 2006. His main areas of expertise include India's Foreign Policy, South Asian regionalism and European Foreign and Security Policy. Arndt Michael was awarded the Arnold-Bergstraesser Award for Political Science for 'India's Foreign Policy and Regional Multilateralism' in 2012.
Table of Contents
Regional Multilateralism And Norm Localization
India's Cognitive Prior: Ideas, Norms And The Evolution Of India's Foreign Policy
Regional Multilateralism In South Asia
Regional Multilateralism Beyond South Asia
Conclusions: Competing Regionalism And Panchsheel-Multilateralism In South Asia And Beyond