• Authors: Beomshik Shin, Jinpyo Yoon, Yong Kyun Kim, Jaehyuk Shin, Kyunghee Choi, Hyungjong Kim, Chanwan Kim, Yoonjung Choi, Dalseung Yoo & Ji-Hyang Jang
• Publication Date: August / 2022
• Publisher: Zininzin

Foreign Policy of the Middle Ground States on the Geopolitical Faults in Asia

 

As new interests rise for the ‘return of geopolitics’ with the frontalization of international relations such as the Ukrainian war and China-Taiwan relations, Foreign Policy of the Middle Ground States on the Geopolitical Faults in Asia has been published, a new book that analyzes the aspects of world order with the concept of ‘geopolitical middle ground states’. The book has been published as part of SNUAC Asian Studies in a Global Context Series, as the 31st book in the series. SNUAC has been conducting research projects for several years on the diplomacy of geopolitical middle ground states in the center and peripheries of Eurasia for a comparative understanding of the dilemma that Korean diplomacy faces. Geopolitical middle ground states refer to the zones where strong states or geopolitical powers clash, thus the states that exist on the “geopolitical fault zone”, and are also called “in-between states”.

Foreign Policy of the Middle Ground States on the Geopolitical Faults in Asia is the result of the research project that was carried out simultaneously with that of Foreign Policy of the Middle Ground States on the Geopolitical Faults in Eurasia (SNU Institute of International Studies Series 47). While the latter discusses the baltic states, East European states, and Central Asia, the former focuses on 9 countries in Asia including Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey.

Foreign Policy of the Middle Ground States on the Geopolitical Faults in Asia was written by authors with expertise in the 9 countries, including the head editor, Prof. Beomshik Shin (Dept. of Political Science & International Relations, SNU). The book consists of an introduction, section 1 on Southeast Asia, and section 2 on South Asia and West Asia. Each chapter includes an introduction and conclusion for each respective study and clarifies the respective country’s characteristics and type as a middle ground state based on its history and socio-cultural-political specificities.

In the reality where grave crises and challenges are rising in the process of the US-oriented world order changing into a multipolar order, the responses and roles of ‘middle ground states’ are being emphasized.  Foreign Policy of the Middle Ground States on the Geopolitical Faults in Asia presents important implications for Korea to seek its future routes in surviving as a middle ground state in the changing environment. We hope the new publication will be helpful to the decision makers and field workers of diplomatic policy, academics in the fields of Korean politics and diplomacy and all those engaged in international trade in grasping the flow of global order and the context and current situation of middle ground states’ diplomatic strategies.

 

Authors

 

Beomshik Shin

Prof., Dept. of Political Science and International Relations, Seoul National University

Jinpyo Yoon

Prof. Emeritus, Dept. of Political Science and International Relations, Sungshin Women’s University

Yong Kyun Kim

Associate Prof., Dept. of Political Science and International Relations, Seoul National University

Jaehyuk Shin

Associate Prof., Dept. of Political Science and International Relations, Korea University

Kyunghee Choi

HK Research Professor, SNUAC

Hyungjong Kim

Associate Prof., Dept. of International Relations, Yonsei University

Chanwan Kim

Prof., Grad. School of International and Area Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies

Yoonjung Choi

Researcher/Director, Center for Indo-Pacific Studies, The Sejong Institute

Dalseung Yoo

Prof., Dept. of Persian & Iranian Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies

Ji-Hyang Jang

Senior Research Fellow/Director, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Center, Asan Institute for Policy Studies