Interregionalism of EU-ASEAN in A Historical Perspective
February 21, 2018
The first meeting was a guest lecture seminar from Dr. C.F.P. Luhulima. Fortunately, although the senior researcher at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences himself was unable to attend, the class still run as usual at the first meeting. The topic was introductory to EU-ASEAN interegionalism from a historical perspective.
Before discussing Dr. Luhulima's fruit of thought, the class started with a module explanation by the teaching team (attending that day were Sinta, Mita, Verdinand and Andre). Sinta and Mita gave a brief description of the whole course materials, Jean Monnet colaboration programme, the EIIES module, assignments (including an explanation that the class will-not so surprisingly-be a bilingual class) and then there was a lively discussion led by Verdinand. All students were asked about their expectations on IR in Europe course using the EIIES module this year. He continued to discuss the history of the formation of ASEAN and the EU.
The importance of a critical review towards relations between the two regions was underlined by Verdinand. In sum, both the EU and ASEAN were formed on the basis of long-standing reconciliation result between the countries which later became their member states. Though both have the objective of establishing integration of countries in the region as an effort to stabilise regional conditions; however, the difference in interpretation of the concept of 'integration' resulted in very different organisational developments between ASEAN and the EU. ASEAN-EU relations from historical perspective will continue to be discussed at the next meeting, which is going to be held in the class groups. (my)