Date of Award

Spring 8-1-2007

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Political Science

First Advisor

Michael R. Chambers

Second Advisor

Anne L. Foster

Third Advisor

Glenn E. Perry

Abstract

Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, have had a longstanding policy of not interfering in each other's domestic affairs. This norm of"noninterference" is considered both a hallmark of intraregional diplomacy in Southeast Asia and ASEAN's most venerated nonn. However, recent developments regarding the relationship between Myanmar and the rest of the regional grouping suggest that this principle may not currently be as sacrosanct as it has been in the past. This thesis explains the replacement of ASEAN's traditional nom1 of non-interference with a modified version of it through a framework developed from constructivist theories of ideational change and a modified version of Robert Putnam's two-level bargaining model. I conclude six variables played significant roles in explaining the relationship between ASEAN and Myanmar. These variables are Western pressure, ASEAN's desire to maintain its prestige, domestic regime liberalization within Southeast Asia, the behavior of Myanmar since being admitted into ASEAN, the gains to member states from a cohesive ASEAN and the power of the non-interference norm more generally.

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