Routledge Handbook of Autocratization in Southeast Asia

The Routledge Handbook of Autocratization in Southeast Asia examines how global and domestic forces of autocratization affect regional and local politics. It analyzes how the interactions of international and domestic factors affect actors and institutions in both democracies and autocracies in the region.

Bringing together a representative slate of both local and international, junior and senior scholars of different methodological backgrounds, this Handbook cross-examines regional trends and provides an insider view of the causes and effects of autocratization in a region with diverse experiences with de-colonization, state-building, and economic and political developments. The 28 chapters are organized into three sections. Part I examines a range of structural, international, socio-political, technological, and ideological causal factors of autocratization. Part II offers a comparative analysis of the consequences of autocratization on key actors and democratic institutions. Part III provides a more detailed study of autocratic consolidation and pushback in each country in Southeast Asia. Taking into account structural-historical, institutional, and cultural factors, the contributors analyze how domestic actors and democratic institutions withstand the global forces of autocratization.

This Handbook fills empirical gaps in the current scholarship by focusing on all nation-states in the Association of Southeast Asia Nations and Timor-Leste, varied regime types with diverse socio-religious backgrounds. It is the first authoritative reference work dedicated to Southeast Asia’s autocratization and will be an indispensable reference work for academics and policymakers interested in democracy and autocracy, regime transition, and Southeast Asian politics.

Table of Contents

Part I: Sources of Autocratization

1. Introduction to Autocratization in Southeast Asia

Netina Tan and Yuko Kasuya

2. Global Public Governance 

Sorpong Peou

3. China and Autocratization

Alvin Camba and Ray Asada

4. Polarization and Autocratization 

Diego Fossati

5. Digital Authoritarianism 

Netina Tan and Rebecca Lynn Denyer

6. Religion

Kikue Hamayotsu

7. Populist Leaders

Ronald Pernia and Rogelio Alicor L. Panao

8. Monarchy

Kana Inata

9. The Coup Trap 

Terence Lee

Part II: Impact of Autocratization 

10. Democratic Values and Resistance

Kai-Ping Huang and Saiful Mujani

11. Judicial Independence 

Björn Dressel and Cristina Regina Bonoan

12. Parties and Party Systems

Don S. Lee and Fernando Casal Bértoa

13. Ethnic Minorities 

Cassandra Preece and Chun-Ying Wu

14. Gender Equality 

Shan-Jan Sarah Liu

15. Media Freedom

James Gomez

16. Academic Freedom

Sriprapha Petcharamesree

17. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

Avery Poole

Part III: Country Trends and Patterns

18. Brunei

Nasuke Mukoyama

19. Cambodia

Sokphea Young and Soksamphoas Im

20. Indonesia

Marcus Mietzner

21. Laos

Norihiko Yamada

22. Malaysia  

Saleena Saleem

23. Myanmar

Aye Lei Tun and Ardeth Maung Thawnghmung

24. The Philippines

Justin Keith A. Basquisal and Aries A. Arugay

25. Singapore

Walid Jumblatt Abdullah

26. Thailand

Aim Sinpeng and Itsakul Unahakate

27. Timor-Leste

Rui Graça Feijó and Michael Leach

28. Vietnam

Adam Fforde