ASEAN’s Development Policy course will provide students with political, economic, social and environmental dimensions of development through multidisciplinary approach. Course contents incorporate theories and viewpoints from multiple disciplines – from political science to sociology to economics. The course objective is to provide a well-rounded view of ASEAN’s regional development strategy and mechanisms in ASEAN cooperation, and therefore enable the students to develop critical views to assess ASEAN’s centrality in the regionalism process. The course offers stakeholder analysis that helps students identify actors and factors affecting regional policies that attempt to promote economic integration, address regional disparities and remedy critical problems linked to poverty.

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1004321: ASEAN’s Development Policy
Academic Year 1/2015: 24 August – 19 December 2015
School of Social Innovation
Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai Thailand
COURSE SYLLABUS
Time: Wednesday & Thursday 12:00 – 14:50
Location: C2: Room 308 (Wed.), 309 (Thu.)
Class website: MFU E-learning system, Google Classroom and Facebook Page
(ASEAN Development Policy Group)
Lecturer: Ajarn Chirada Na Suwan
Office Hours: Wednesday-Friday 09:00 – 11:00 or by appointment
Contact info: chirada.na@mfu.ac.th Academia.edu: Chirada Fang NaSuwan
Phone: 053-916676
COURSE OVERVIEW
ASEAN’s Development Policy course will provide students with political, economic,
social and environmental dimensions of development through multidisciplinary
approach. Course contents incorporate theories and viewpoints from multiple
disciplines – from political science to sociology to economics. The course objective is
to provide a well-rounded view of ASEAN’s regional development strategy and
mechanisms in ASEAN cooperation, and therefore enable the students to develop
critical views to assess ASEAN’s centrality in the regionalism process. The course
offers stakeholder analysis that helps students identify actors and factors affecting
regional policies that attempt to promote economic integration, address regional
disparities and remedy critical problems linked to poverty.
The course builds on a good understanding of macroeconomics and international
relations theory of regionalism applied in the context of ASEAN Community.
Although a previous course on macroeconomics is not essential, familiarity with the
key issues and transmission mechanism will be necessary. While much of the course
focuses on ASEAN policy-making and its practice of development cooperation rather
than on the economic theory, many of the issues discussed will require a sound
understanding of macroeconomics and some understanding of monetary theory. There
will be continuous shifts between the conceptual understanding of regional issues and
the practical approaches on how to address them, hence provide critical views of the
progress and challenges of ASEAN in community building.
The course places an emphasis on current development cooperation programs along
the three pillars of the ASEAN community; namely ASEAN Political-Security
Community (APSC), ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and ASEAN Socio-
cultural Community (ASCC). As for ASEAN's external relations for development
cooperation, lectures cover relations with Dialogue Partners and international/regional
Thursday (15:00-17:50)

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organizations: both state and non-state actors. The topics go beyond the ASEAN
region and move into the broader Asia-Pacific region to include the international
politics of ASEAN, China, Japan and Korea.
By introducing students to challenges in economic integration and regional
development, the course applies economic theories and concept of power relations to
explain and attempt solutions to address the phenomena. Class discussion will unveil
how political and economic motives influence the behavior of member countries,
various ASEAN bodies and external parties involved in the regional cooperation. As
such the areas covered throughout the course will be highly topical and thus the
syllabus may be adapted to account for this. The topics that will be analyzed include,
but will not be limited to;
The field of political and security cooperation
1. Human rights cooperation with other ASEAN bodies, external partners and
stakeholders;
2. Political and security issues of common interest and concern;
3. Defense consultative and cooperative mechanisms, namely maritime security,
counter-terrorism, transnational crimes, humanitarian assistance and disaster
management, peacekeeping operations and military medicine.
The field of regional economic integration
1. Human resources development and capacity building;
2. Recognition of professional qualifications;
3. Consultation on macroeconomic and financial policies;
4. Regional trade scheme and trade financing measures;
5. Infrastructure and communications connectivity; and
6. Regional sourcing and industries integration.
The field of socio-cultural community
1. Human development;
2. Social welfare and protection;
3. Social justice and rights;
4. Ensuring environmental sustainability;
5. Narrowing the development gap
TEACHING APPROACH
Given the lecturer’s teaching experience, students learn best by actively participating
in the teaching-learning process. The course will be conducted as a seminar – with
introductory lectures and excerpts from documentary or other media relevant to the
week’s topic. The last hour of each class will be devoted to classroom discussions of
the assigned readings or student presentations on the assigned topics.

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POLICIES
Class attendance: Attendance will be checked regularly by in-class assignments or
quizzes. There are no exceptions to the attendance requirement; however, exceptions
may be granted for a catastrophic event or illness with documentation
Email and Class communication: The lecturer will periodically communicate with
students through the MFU E-learning system/ Google Classroom; therefore, students
are responsible for checking their assigned e-learning account on course webpage
regularly. Additionally, students may communicate with the lecturer and peers
through email and social media such as Facebook page (ASEAN Development Policy
Group)
Mobile/electronic devices: Students are expected to be respectable to the lecturer and
peers by maintaining conducive learning environment. Mobile phones and other
electronic devices must be turned off or set in Airplane mode. Text messaging,
emailing, and surfing the web are prohibited in class unless as part of classroom
activities or during e-Quiz session.
Late Assignments: Group/Individual Assignments submitted via online tools/emails
after stated deadlines will be counted as late. Turning in the work late will result in no
grade for such assignment.
Make-Up Exams: Make-up exams will only be allowed under emergency
circumstances with proper documentation.
On-line Facilities:
Student can access MFU e-learning platform for materials provided in class, or the
Facebook Page: (ASEAN Development Policy Group) and Google Classroom for
required readings and other course materials, as well as updates from the instructor
throughout the semester.
ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING
The key to success in this course is your own responsibility. Meaningful participation
in every session will contribute to quality classroom discussion for all and your own
learning process. The purposes of classroom discussion and assignments are to
enhance your understanding about the theories, politico-economic and social factors
as well as the institutional landscapes affecting ASEAN’s cooperation for regional
development. The lead/anticipating discussions require you to apply knowledge in real
life and develop effective communication skill. The writing assignment aims to
strengthen the analytical and writing skill as well as the ability to apply the concepts
and theories into practice.
Classroom Participation 30%
a) Leading discussion 15%
b) Anticipating discussion 15%
Midterm Exam (Open Note) 30%
Lecture Note 10%
Final Exam 30%
TOTAL 100%

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REQUIRED TEXTS
Christopher B. Roberts (2012). ASEAN Regionalism: Cooperation, Values, and
Institutionalization, Routledge Security in Asia Pacific Series, Routledge, Abingdon, pp.
xviii+257.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS FOR CLASS DISCUSSION
Porntip Israsena na Ayudhya (2013). International Conference “ASEAN Community:
Challenges, Problems and Prospects”, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of ASEAN
Affairs, Division 4: Bangkok
Ruhs, M. and Anderson, B. (2010). Who Needs Migrant Workers? Labour Shortages,
Immigration and Public Policy, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Logan Masilamani and Jimmy Peterson (2014). "The “ASEAN Way”: The Structural
Underpinnings of Constructive Engagement" Foreign Policy Journal (Oct 15).
Sanchita Basu Das (2014).’The ASEAN Economic Community’s labour policy needs work’.
the ASEAN Studies Centre, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS): Singapore.
http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2014/09/27/the-asean-economic-communitys-labour-policy-
needs-work/
Gauri Khandekar, (2013). ‘MAPPING EU-ASEAN Relations’. The Agora Asia-Europe
programme, FRIDE: A European Think Tank for Global Action. Madrid

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Week Topic/Detail
No. of
Hours
Learning
Methodology
Reading Materials
Wk: 1
26/27 August
2015
Course Overview and Introduction
- Class management, syllabus review and
learning methodology
- Review ASEAN Studies
- Overview of ASEAN Cooperation 3
Powerpoint,
Pre-Test
Questionnaire,
Video Clip
- Main Text books:
Christopher B. Roberts (2012). ASEAN
Regionalism: Cooperation, Values, and
Institutionalization, Routledge Security in
Asia Pacific Series, Routledge, Abingdon,
pp. xviii+257.
Wk: 2
2/3 September
2015
ASEAN Institutions
- Basic documents: ASEAN Charter
sections,
- ASEAN structure of Secretariat,
Councils, Summits
*Reading for class discussion: ASEAN
Charter: Deeper Regional Integration under
International Law? 3
Lecture,
Powerpoint,
Group Activity,
Discussion
(R-P-Q: 30-20-30)
- Robert (2012): Chapter 2 The Rise of
Southeast Asia and the Search for regional
order
- LIN Chun Hung (2010). ‘ASEAN
Charter: Deeper Regional Integration
under International Law?’. Chinese
Journal of International Law. Oxford
University Press
Wk: 3
9/10 September
2015
ASEAN Community: The Blueprints and
Plan of Action
- ASEAN Political - Security Community
- ASEAN Economic Community:
- ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community
- Understand ASEAN Connectivity
*Select a reading for lead discussion & set
presentation schedule 3
Lecture,
Powerpoint,
Discussion,
Video clips
- ASEAN Resource Kit:
http://www.asean.org/resources
1. Roadmap for an ASEAN Community
2009 – 2015
2. APSC – AEC – ASCC Fact Sheets
3. ASEAN Annual Report and Mid-Term
Reviews

6. 6
Wk: 4
16/17
September 2015
The Modalities of Development
Cooperation
- Development cooperation at bilateral
and multilateral levels
- Regional cooperation: the ASEAN
framework, mechanisms and activities
*Reading for class discussion:
1. ASEAN Integration: Evolution, Current
Status and Prospects
2. Policies: Progress with the ASEAN
Communities 3
Lecture,
Powerpoint,
Discussion
(P-D-Q: 30-30-30)
- Robert (2012): Chapter 1 ‘Security,
cooperation and identity in international
relations’
- Development Cooperation in ASEAN
context, ASEAN-related legal documents,
Ministry of Justice, Thailand
- European Union 2013. ‘ASEAN:
Integration, Internal dynamics and
External Relations’. Directorate-General
for External Policies, Policy Department,
Briefing Paper: Belgium (p. 5-10)
Wk: 5
23/24
September 2015
Development divide: Barrier to realize
ASEAN Economic Community
- Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI)
and Narrowing the Development Gap
(NDG)
- Trade, Investment, and Labor Migration
in the CLMV: the Policy Challenges
*Reading for class discussion:
1. ASEAN Community in Figures -
Special Edition 2014: A Closer Look at
Trade Performance and Dependency,
and Investment (p1-9,82-92)
2. Narrowing the Development Divide in
ASEAN: The Role of Policy (p2-16) 3
Lecture,
Powerpoint,
Discussion
(P-D-Q: 30-30-30)
- Macroeconomics & the theory
underpinning economic convergence
- ASEAN (2014). ‘ASEAN Community in
Figures - Special Edition 2014: A Closer
Look at Trade Performance and
Dependency, and Investment’. The
ASEAN Secretariat: Jakarta
- Menon, Jayant (2012). ADB Working
Paper Series on Regional Economic
Integration, ‘Narrowing the Development
Divide in ASEAN: The Role of Policy’.
Asian Development Bank: Manila

7. 7
Wk: 6
30 September /1
October 2015
Labor migration and the greater
economic integration
- Fundamental issues in Labor Migration:
Implication for debates and policy
- International Standards for the
protection of migrant workers
*Reading for class discussion:
Migrant Workers and Social Protection in
ASEAN: Moving Towards a Regional
Standard? (p1-32: Cases ID, PH, SG, TH) 3
Lecture,
Powerpoint,
Discussion
(P-D-Q: 30-30-30)
- Hall, Andy (2012). ‘Migrant Workers
and Social Protection in ASEAN: Moving
Towards a Regional Standard?’. Journal
of Population and Social Studies, Volume
21 Number 1, July 2012: 12-38. Mahidol
University: Bangkok.
Wk: 7
7/8 October
2015 ASEAN Economic Community: A Work
in Progress I
- Policies of the AEC and Sectoral bodies
under the Purview of AEM
*Reading for class discussion:
Group in-class assignments on the selected
topics 3
Lecture,
Powerpoint,
Presentation,
Discussion
Group In-class assignments
- Competition Policy: Handbook on
Competition Policy and Law in ASEAN
for Business 2013
- Customs: Agreements & Declaration
- ASEAN Industrial Cooperation (AICO)
Scheme
- ASEAN Intellectual Property Rights
Action Plan 2011-2015
- ASEAN cooperation on trade in services:
the Mutual Recognition Arrangements
- SME: Strategic Action Plan for ASEAN
SME Development 2010-2015
- External Economic Relations

8. 8
Wk: 8
14/15 October
2015
ASEAN Economic Community: A Work
in Progress II
- Challenges on Non-Tariff Barriers,
Trade in Services and the Investment
Climate, Competition and IP Laws
- Institutional Framework for AEC
implementation: Proposals for
improvement
*Reading for class discussion:
Enhancing the Institutional Framework for
AEC Implementation: Designing
Institutions that are Effective and Politically
Feasible (Ch.9: p411-436) 3
Lecture,
Powerpoint,
Discussion
(P-D-Q: 30-30-30)
- Das, Sanchita Basu; Menon, Jayant;
Severino, Rodolfo; Shrestha, Omkar Lal.
(2013). ‘The ASEAN Economic
Community: A Work in Progress’. Asian
Development Bank.
http://hdl.handle.net/11540/1432
Wk: 9
21/22 October
2015 Review for the Mid-Term Exam 3
Discussion,
Powerpoint
Wk: 10
26-30 October
2015
Mid-term Examination (Open Note)
Wed. 28 October 2015 @09:00 - 12:00 อาคาร - ห้อง TDS

9. 9
Wk: 11
4, 5 November
2015
ASEAN Political and Security
cooperation
- Implementation of the APSC Blueprint
To-Date: (AICHR), (ARF), Defence
consultative and cooperative
mechanisms, Combating transnational
crimes and transboundary challenges.
- The Political and Security challenges
and prospects of ASEAN
*Reading for class discussion:
1. ’Southeast Asia in 2015: Maritime
Security, Myanmar Elections, TPP Top
Agenda
2. ‘ASEAN 2030: Challenges of Building a
Mature Political and Security Community’ 3
Lecture,
Powerpoint,
Discussion
(P-D-Q: 30-30-30)
- Brandon J. John (2015). ’Southeast
Asia in 2015: Maritime Security,
Myanmar Elections, TPP Top Agenda’
Weekly Insight and Analysis IN ASIA.
The Asia Foundation: Washington DC
- Acharya, A. (2013). ‘ASEAN 2030:
Challenges of Building a Mature
Political and Security Community’.
ADBI Working Paper 441. Tokyo:
Asian Development Bank Institute.
Wk: 12
11, 12
November 2015
ASEAN's External Relations I
- Institutional framework for ASEAN
External Relations: Dialogue Partners &
Multinational Fora
- ASEAN FTAs: To what extent it further
ASEAN’s goals of regional and global
economic integration
*Reading for class discussion:
ASEAN FTAs: State of Play and Outlook
for ASEAN’s Regional and Global
Integration (Ch.7: p320-377) 3
Lecture,
Powerpoint,
Discussion
(P-D-Q: 30-30-30)
- Robert (2012): Chapter 3 ASEAN
Through to the third decade:
Institutional responses and expansion
- Das, Sanchita Basu; Menon, Jayant;
Severino, Rodolfo; Shrestha, Omkar
Lal. (2013). ‘The ASEAN Economic
Community: A Work in Progress’.
ADB. (Chapter 7)

10. 10
Wk: 13
18, 19
November 2015
ASEAN's External Relations II
- International politics of ASEAN, China,
Japan, Korea and the broader Asia-Pacific
region
*Special lecture by Dr. Lee Lai To, Assoc.
Professor of Political Science at National
University of Singapore 3
TBC
*Lecture Note
Submission Required
- Robert (2012): Chapter 4 ‘Testing
ASEAN Cohesion: Security and
economic challenges
Wk: 14
25, 26
November, 2015
ASEAN's External Relations II (Cont.)
- ASEAN Relations with U.S. and the EU
ASEAN’s Relations with International
Organizations
- Typology of International
(Governmental) Organizations:
ASEAN’s relations with UN, ADB and
iNGOs
*Reading for class discussion:
1. Asian Development Bank and ASEAN:
Banking on a Bent Brotherhood
2. The Conclusions of the Foreign Affairs
Council of June 2015 3
Lecture,
Discussion,
Powerpoint,
Video clips,
Group Presentation
Group Presentation
1. Chairman’s Statement of the 5th
ASEAN-United Nations (UN)
Summit
2. Guidelines on ASEAN’s Relations
with Civil Society Organisations
- Somers, Nina (2011). ‘Asian
Development Bank and ASEAN:
Banking on a Bent Brotherhood’.
Briefing Paper. NGO Forum on ADB.
-European Council (2015). ‘Council
conclusions on EU-ASEAN relations’,
Foreign affairs & international relations,
Council of the European Union.

11. 11
Wk: 15
2, 3 December
2015
ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community and
the Functional Cooperation for Social
Development
- Current cooperation in the areas of
Environment, Disaster management,
Labor, Rural development, Poverty
eradication, Social welfare and
development
*Reading for class discussion:
1. ASEAN Community 2015: Managing
integration for better jobs and shared
prosperity (Ch.3-4, 5-7)
2. ‘Security & Human Rights’ (Ch 8):
Advancing Human Development through
the ASEAN Community (pg. 73-77) 3
Lecture, Powerpoint,
Discussion
(P-D-Q: 30-30-30)
- ILO and ADB (2014). ‘ASEAN
Community 2015: Managing integration
for better jobs and shared prosperity’.
International Labour Organization and
Asian Development Bank: Bangkok
- UNDP 2014. ‘Advancing Human
Development through the ASEAN
Community’: Thailand Human
Development Report 2014. United
Nations Development Programme:
Bangkok
Wk: 16
9, 10 December
2015
Review for the Final Exam
*Deadline Submission of 15-pg hand-
written lecture note 3
Discussion &
Powerpoint
- Robert (2012): Chapter 7
‘Regionalism anew? Institutional
outcomes and the limitation to change’
- Robert (2012): Chapter 8
‘Conclusion: retrospect and prospects’
Wk: 17
14-18 December
2015
Final Examination
Fri. 18 December 2015 @09:00-12:00 อาคาร - ห้อง TDS