Scott Edwards

Biography

Scott Edwards is currently undertaking his PhD at the University of Birmingham. His doctoral research seeks to analyse the dynamics of trust within ASEAN, and particularly whether interpersonal links within ASEAN encourages the formation of wider trust and a collective identity. He is also interested in Southeast Asian security and politics, after having resided in Malaysia, and has produced work for Transparency International in the areas of defence and security. He can speak Malay and Indonesian.

My current research looks at applying emerging trust literature in International Relations, as well as within Psychology, to international organisations, looking at whether such organisations can encourage the institutionalisation of trust. Whilst trust has been seen as a key foundation of organisations and communities in theoretical security dilemma literature, the role of trust within ASEAN is under theorised and under applied empirically. The dominant view of institutional trust within ASEAN and security community literature emphasises trust as deriving from norms which constitute collective identity, such as non-interference in ASEAN’s case. Despite this, trust is often under conceptualised and not explored thoroughly. This normative focus is increasingly problematic due to an emerging interventionist liberal agenda that opposes the current normative framework. My research, therefore, seeks to explore the role of trust within ASEAN. Utilising this literature, my research will explore whether trust is a significant dimension of interstate peace in the region, and whether any trust within ASEAN can best be explained through the way in which ASEAN encourages a culture of trust, leading to its institutionalisation.

Education

PhD, University of Birmingham, Current
Masters, University of Birmingham, 2012

Areas of Research / Professional Expertise

International Relations Theory
Environmental Security
Securitisation Theory
Southeast Asian International Relations
Indonesian Politics

Books