Why Collective Identity Matters: Constructivism and the Absence of ASEAN’s Role in the Rohingya Crisis

• Main Author: Rosyidin, Mohamad
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2017
• Subjects: constructivism; theory and practice; ASEAN; collective identity; Rohingya crisis
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/apssr/vol17/iss1/5; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/apssr/article/1122/viewcontent/4MOHAMAD_20053017.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

The debate over the gap between theory and practice in international relations has been neglected by the vast majority of scholars. This paper is aimed to examine whether or not constructivist consideration has a place within ASEAN policy-making process regarding the Rohingya crisis. The absence of ASEAN’s role in managing Rohingya’s refugee crisis post-sectarian conflict in Myanmar has raised criticism on its effectiveness in dealing with regional problems. Despite the fact that ASEAN has already had a number of human rights instruments such as the ASEAN Charter, ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights and ASEAN Declaration of Human Rights, the organization arguably, did not do much to intervene in and try to overcome the Rohingya crisis. This paper offers possible contributions of constructivism in diagnosing and providing policy recommendations for ASEAN to solve such problem. From the constructivists’ standpoint, ASEAN did not do much intervention due to the lack of collective identity among its member states. As a consequence, there has not been enough “institutional commitment” to carry out collective action. Furthermore, constructivists’ perspectives may also provide strategic measures by suggesting that all member states should give priority to the process of collective identity building before any institutional arrangements are made.