The political project for European Union is defined by its inherent dialectic as both part of and a distinct response to globalisation. Like other regionalisms, the EU is broadly committed to openness or ‘open regionalism’. But the project for European Union has also been defined by its pursuit of a social capitalism and the promotion...

Governance of Islam in Singapore has been strongly shaped by the authoritarian state's micro-management of nation-building, commanding influence of Islamic institutions such as the peak religious bureaucracy MUIS (Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura or Islamic Religious Council) and reliance on draconian legislation such as the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act (MRHA), Sedition Act and the Internal...

This paper presents an analysis of recently adopted EU policies on fragile states. While the European Union has incorporated governance issues into its strategies for fragile states, its approach to governance has a highly technocratic character, with a strong emphasis on public sector reform and public finance. This approach, the paper will argue, is in...

The recent audacious pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden and off the horn of Africa have fuelled the debate about the privatisation of maritime security. Ship owners and maritime security experts, as well as representatives of industry organisations, have stated that private security companies may be able to ensure safe passage for vessels through...

This paper is an attempt to understand the incentives for and progress towards greater economic integration in South Asia. This sub-region comprises seven economies, namely, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, which are members of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The first concrete proposal for establishing a framework for...