Beyond Wavering

Post-Colonial Resistance and Norm Contestation in ASEAN’s Response to Myanmar’s Coup

Authors

  • Andra Khagum Muhammad Department of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Science, Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani, Indonesia
  • Jusmalia Oktaviani Department of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Science, Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6482-1524
  • Anggun Dwi Panorama Department of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Science, Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24076/nsjis.v8i2.2304

Keywords:

ASEAN, Myanmar Coup, Norm Contestation, Post-Colonial, Sovereignty

Abstract

This study aims to analyze ASEAN's response to the military coup in Myanmar as a form of post-colonial resistance that affects regional norm formation. This study is important because it reveals how collective memories of colonialism shape ASEAN's attitudes towards the concepts of democracy, sovereignty, and intervention, giving rise to the dynamics of norm contestation between the principle of non-intervention and the pressure to protect human rights. The method employed is Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), which is used to explore the discourse construction and ideology underlying ASEAN policies. The theoretical framework adopted includes norm contestation theory which emphasizes that international norms are dynamic and contested, as well as Dipesh Chakrabarty's post-colonial approach, which highlights historical trauma as the foundation of institutional resistance. The results show that ASEAN's cautious stance is not a weakness, but a form of protection of sovereignty and political identity shaped by colonial experiences. This study contributes to the understanding of the interaction between global and local norms in the post-colonial world, enriching the discourse of international relations from the perspective of the Global South.

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Author Biographies

  • Andra Khagum Muhammad, Department of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Science, Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani, Indonesia

    Andra Khagum Muhammad is an active student in the International Relations Study Program, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani, Contact: andra.khagum@student.unjani.ac.id

  • Jusmalia Oktaviani, Department of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Science, Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani, Indonesia

    Jusmalia Oktaviani, S.Sos., MA. 
    Department of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani 
    -Lecturer
    -Head of Laboratory International Relations Study Program
    -Editor-in-Chief Diplomacy and Global Security Journal

  • Anggun Dwi Panorama , Department of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Science, Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani, Indonesia

    Anggun Dwi Panorama, S.IP., M.H.I.

    Department of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani- Lecturer
    - Secretary of the Master's Department of International Relations

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Published

24-12-2025

How to Cite

Muhammad, A.K., Oktaviani, J. and Panorama , A.D. (2025) “Beyond Wavering: Post-Colonial Resistance and Norm Contestation in ASEAN’s Response to Myanmar’s Coup”, Nation State: Journal of International Studies, 8(2), pp. 102–123. doi:10.24076/nsjis.v8i2.2304.