Institutional Balancing and International Relations Theory: Economic Interdependence and Balance of Power Strategies in Southeast Asia

• Published in: European journal of international relations Vol. 14; no. 3; pp. 489 - 518
• Main Author: He, Kai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.09.2008; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: ASEAN; Balance of power; Balancing; Bipolarity; China; Cold War; Developing countries; Economic crisis; Economic Factors; Economic interdependence; Interdependence; International political economy; International politics; International Relations; International relations theory; LDCs; Liberalism; Multilateralism; Neoliberalism; Political institutions; Political Power; Post Cold War period; Realism; Security; Southeast Asia; Strategic studies; Superpowers; U.S.A; United Nations; Voting; United States > US; China—ASEAN relations; Asian security; institutional balancing; ASEAN Regional Forum; balance of power; East Asia Summit; economic interdependence; institutional realism; IR theory; ASEAN Plus Three

This study integrates elements of neorealist and neoliberal theories with a model of institutional balancing that identifies the conditions under which this form of soft balancing occurs. Institutional balancing, i.e. countering pressures or threats through initiating, utilizing, and dominating mult...