Indonesia's Foreign Policy in ASEAN: A Conceptual-Critical Analysis of The National Peace and Security Paradigm
Keywords:
Peace paradigm, Indonesia Foreign Policy, ASEANAbstract
This study examines Indonesia’s Foreign Policy in ASEAN through a conceptual-critical analysis of the national peace and security paradigm. It explores how Indonesia reconciles its normative commitment to peace rooted in the bebas dan aktif (free and active) doctrine and Pancasila values with the pragmatic requirements of national defense and regional leadership. Using a qualitative, literature-based approach, this research synthesizes academic works, ASEAN documents, and official Indonesian policy statements to analyze the interaction between identity, norms, and security imperatives. The findings reveal that Indonesia’s foreign policy embodies a hybrid paradigm combining constructivist ideals of peace, cooperation, and mediation with realist imperatives of deterrence and sovereignty. Within ASEAN, Indonesia positions itself as a peace entrepreneur, promoting dialogue, preventive diplomacy, and regional consensus as instruments of stability. However, this normative leadership is challenged by structural realities such as great-power competition, maritime disputes in the South China Sea, and non-traditional security threats like terrorism and migration. The study concludes that Indonesia’s peaceful diplomacy is both an ethical commitment and a strategic instrument for maintaining domestic and regional stability. To sustain its leadership, Indonesia must strengthen institutional capacity for mediation, integrate peace diplomacy with credible defense preparedness, and align domestic governance with its international peace narrative.
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