ABSTRACT
Michael Leifer illuminated the international politics of Southeast Asia for all those who cared about the region. His scholarship was marked by a masterly and unrivaled feel for the pulse of the region. Unlike many lumpers, Leifer also eschewed unnecessary theoretical jargon in his work. “Order” and “regional order,” it is worth noting at the outset, are concepts original to Michael Leifer in the way he employed them to evaluate the international politics of Southeast Asia. “Order” and “regional order,” it is worth noting at the outset, are concepts original to Michael Leifer in the way he employed them to evaluate the international politics of Southeast Asia. Leifer's notion of the basis of a viable regional order is remarkably similar to Bull's notion of international society.
