ABSTRACT
Moving from a historical perspective, this chapter reflects on the possibility of region formation in East Asia that does not rest on the hegemony of a single power. In the context of the region’s economic dynamism and deepening ties (trade and investment, technological partnerships, labor migration, cross-border tourism, urban networks, and popular culture exchange) one would expect such a possibility to avail itself. However, it is not possible to isolate East Asian regionalism from the broader global dynamics and the Asia-Pacific conjuncture. By locating the region within the global (rather than simply centering on the internal dynamics of the region), the chapter also provides a perceptive understanding of nationalist politics in the region.
