FRIAS Conference on "Dynamic Alignments and Dealignments in Global Southeast Asia" (June 2015)
The FRIAS Research Focus “Dynamic Alignments and Dealignments in Global Southeast Asia” examines how global flows and challenges impact the actors, patterns and processes that drive social and institutional adjustments in a strategically important, economically vibrant, culturally diverse and politically volatile region. Alignments denote forms of cooperation, alliances, coalition-building and caucuses; dealignments refer to fragmentation, conflict and disintegration in response to intensifying global and local challenges. How alignments and dealignments of societal groups play out in a highly diverse region like Southeast Asia and how they shape cultural, political and economic processes is an issue of great significance. The research focus takes an interdisciplinary perspective to explore how cultures of cooperation are negotiated on various organizational levels, i.e. international, national and local. The actors shaping these alignments and dealignments could be nations, ethnic, economic, religious, political and professional groups. The conference is a stocktaking exercise of current work within the research focus and presents the work in progress of FRIAS fellows and guests.