Leiden University Student Repository

Christian, Olivia 2016

According to the principles of Samuel P. Huntington’s thesis Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of the World Order, how have attributes of the post-Cold War era shaped US foreign policy in the Southeast Asian region?

Bachelor thesis | International Studies (BA)

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The end of the Cold War marked the realisation that the global order is in a constant state of flux. The ultimate aim of this research was to assess ability of the most influential nation in the...Show moreThe end of the Cold War marked the realisation that the global order is in a constant state of flux. The ultimate aim of this research was to assess ability of the most influential nation in the world to navigate the changing world order in a way that precedes mutually beneficial international relations, using the interesting example of its tumultuous relationship with Southeast Asia. In order to approach such an overwhelming topic, the framework for this thesis draws upon the ideas of Samuel P. Huntington's expressed in his work The Clash of Civilizations: Remaking the World Order, and uses it to identify three areas where change has manifested itself most in the region since the early 1990s – religious diversity, rise of alternative powers and economic integration. The next step was to link the findings to the wider discussion on how shifting dynamics have given rise to the different power strategies. Using the conclusions from these findings, we can assert that, in the case of Southeast Asia, the US might have decided on the pivot of interest just in time. Indeed, it is very possible we could see more positive American presence in the future in the Asia-Pacific region in the form of ‘smart power’.Show less