This book’s main objective is to determine the role, if any, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) plays in de-escalating tensions among its members.
It argues that the SCO is uniquely suited to keep its disparate members, many of whom have border disputes with each other, from escalating tensions among themselves. The book proposes a rivalry de-escalation model that differs from the standard belief that rivalries de-escalate due to a shock or external pressure. This model states that trust can be built between two rival states when confidence-building measures are instilled and utilized repeatedly over a long period of time. The SCO provides these mechanisms in the form of annual summits between state leaders and routine military exercises involving military units from every member. Examining three case studies involving the founding six members of the organization, the book argues that the SCO is effective in keeping rivalries de-escalated among its members.
This book will be of much interest to students of Asian politics, regional security, and international relations.
By:
James MacHaffie
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 156mm,
Weight: 326g
ISBN: 9781032404462
ISBN 10: 1032404469
Series: Asian Security Studies
Pages: 170
Publication Date: 09 October 2024
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Professional and scholarly
,
Primary
,
Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
1. Introduction 2. The Rivalry Conundrum in International Relations 3. Trust Building in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization 4. The China-Russia Rivalry 5. The Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Rivalry 6. The Complex Rivalry: Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan 7. Conclusion
James MacHaffie is an independent researcher specializing in the Indo-Pacific region and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. He holds a PhD degree in international politics from the University of Leicester.
Reviews for The Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Conflict De-escalation: Trust Building and Interstate Rivalries
"""For too long the SCO has been neglected in scholarship on the role of multilateral organisations in mitigating international rivalries. James MacHaffie’s study is the perfect antidote to this. Through careful study and insightful analysis he demonstrates the ways in which the organisation has helped to de-escalate existing rivalries and build a modicum of trust between its member states. One of the many strengths of this book is that it looks closely at the structures and practices of the SCO and demonstrates in rich empirical detail how these have concrete effects on specific inter-state rivalries. Highly recommended reading."" Benjamin Zala, Australian National University, Australia."
