East-Asianism vs. Asian-Pacificism: The Contested Process of Formation of A Regional Identity in Asia.

The article demonstrates that both rationalism and constructivism are needed to have an appropriate understanding of regional integration or regionalism in Asia. The proliferation of rationalization and the tripolarization of world economy in the context of globalization is examined. It traces out emerging contested regional identities in Asia particularly from the late 1990s to the mid-1990s. It emphasizes the importance of the investigation of the identity formation from a constructivist perspective.