Here and there in the world, states have gathered to build regional communities of
countries, such as the European Union and the ASEAN Community. These communities
have changed or have the potential to change their regions’ politics, economy and society
significantly, not to mention the far-reaching impacts they have made or have the
potential to make outside their borders. This dissertation will try to develop a conceptual
framework of regional identity of the people in a regional community of countries, which
includes its conceptualization, as well as the reasons why and how it is built. Regional
identity of the people, I argue, is the prerequisite for the existence of a regional
community of people. Its defining essence is a shared identification of participating
actors with the collectivity which is acknowledged by others. It originates from the
expectation and/or belief of the inhabitants that by being a member, their individual
needs, especially basic survival needs and shared values are better fulfilled and promoted,
and the experience as well as interaction they have when participating in community
building.
The next focus is on the examination of regional identity building with and
without liberal democracy. The findings show that among non-democracy, illiberal
democracy and liberal democracy, the last is most suited to the building of a regional
identity of the people. At most, non-democracy helps build a regional identity of the
governing elite and that of the states, not a regional identity of the people which is,
however, facilitated by liberal democracy.
The next part of the dissertation is a case study of regional community building
without liberal democracy. It examines the ASEAN Community, which consists of 10
countries that are governed by illiberal democratic and non-democratic states.Here and there in the world, states have gathered to build regional communities of
countries, such as the European Union and the ASEAN Community. These communities
have changed or have the potential to change their regions’ politics, economy and society
significantly, not to mention the far-reaching impacts they have made or have the
potential to make outside their borders. This dissertation will try to develop a conceptual
framework of regional identity of the people in a regional community of countries, which
includes its conceptualization, as well as the reasons why and how it is built. Regional
identity of the people, I argue, is the prerequisite for the existence of a regional
community of people. Its defining essence is a shared identification of participating
actors with the collectivity which is acknowledged by others. It originates from the
expectation and/or belief of the inhabitants that by being a member, their individual
needs, especially basic survival needs and shared values are better fulfilled and promoted,
and the experience as well as interaction they have when participating in community
building.
The next focus is on the examination of regional identity building with and
without liberal democracy. The findings show that among non-democracy, illiberal
democracy and liberal democracy, the last is most suited to the building of a regional
identity of the people. At most, non-democracy helps build a regional identity of the
governing elite and that of the states, not a regional identity of the people which is,
however, facilitated by liberal democracy.
The next part of the dissertation is a case study of regional community building
without liberal democracy. It examines the ASEAN Community, which consists of 10
countries that are governed by illiberal democratic and non-democratic states.LUISS PhD Thesi
