Prospects for Peace in East Asia

September 12, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Mānoa Campus, East-West Center Research Program, Burns Hall, Room 3012

Prospects for Peace in East Asia


Muthiah Alagappa

Distinguished Scholar in Residence, School of International Service, American University

Senior Associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Visiting Professor, Asia Europe Institute, University Malaya

Monday, September 12, 2016 | 12:00 noon to 1:00pm
John A. Burns Hall, Room 3012 (3rd floor)

Scholars and pundits have predicted war in East Asia for well over three decades. In that vein maritime disputes in East and South China Seas as well as the changing distribution of power between China and the United States are now advanced as likely causes of war in East Asia. Dr. Alagappa will argue that despite the many challenges that have and continue to confront East Asian countries, that sub-region has witnessed international peace for over three decades and that that peace is likely to continue. He is less sanguine about internal peace in East Asia. In his talk Dr. Alagappa will explore and explain the transition to international peace in East Asia, the basis and nature of that peace, and what needs to be done to continue international peace in that region. Dr. Alagappa will also explore if international peace in East Asia is likely to deepen.


Muthiah Alagappa, (Dato’ Dr.) is Distinguished Scholar in Residence at the School of International Service in American University. Concurrently he is non-resident Senior Associate with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C and Visiting Professor in the Asia Europe Institute in University Malaya in Kuala Lumpur. Dr. Alagappa was the inaugural Tun Hussein Onn Chair in International Studies at ISIS Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur (2012-13). Prior to that he was Distinguished Senior Fellow at the East-West Center, USA, director of the integrated research program at the East-West Center Honolulu, and founding director of East-West Center Washington. Dato Dr. Alagappa has a Ph.D. degree in International affairs from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, and an M.A. degree in Politics from the University of Lancaster in the United Kingdom. He attended the British Army Staff College in Camberley, UK in 1973-74. Dato Dr. Alagappa’s early schooling was in the Federation Military College, Port Dickson, Malaysia and in the Clifford School and Gandhi Memorial Tamil School both in Kuala Kangsar, Perak, Malaysia. In recognition of his intellectual contribution and his highly reputed international standing, in 2009 Dr. Alagappa was conferred the Dato Paduka Mahkota Perak (DPMB) which carries the title of Dato.


Event Sponsor
East-West Center, Research Program, Mānoa Campus

More Information
Laura Moriyama, 944-7444, Laura.Moriyama@eastwestcenter.org

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