Refuting criticisms that call into question the effectiveness, and even the purpose, of ASEAN, Shaun Narine traces the organization’s political and economic development and explores its impact within Southeast Asia and beyond. Narine considers ASEAN’s role both regionally and with regard to the external powers—China, the United States, Japan, Russia, and increasingly India—whose interests so strongly influence the regional environment. His comprehensive, multilayered analysis critically addresses the question of just how ASEAN is evolving to fit the demands of a new era.