{"title":"Local Perspectives and International Regions in the Making: Timor-Leste as a Case Study","authors":"N. Lobner, P. C. Seixas","doi":"10.1355/sj36-3d","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Abstract:This paper is an exploratory exercise in understanding the construction of international regions using anthropological perspectives, with Timor-Leste as a case study. We propose that 'local beyond-border perspectives' establish a new domain within the world at large as a representation of transnationalism and globalization 'from the bottom-up'. We discuss this using an interdisciplinary approach—anthropology and international relations—to contribute to the study of international regions through a complementary double-ideological system spanning state relations and local perspectives. We argue that the beyond-border perceptions that people from Timor-Leste have of regional organizations are more appropriately understood as projections of their narratives and aspirations. Such situational flexibility, understood as pragmatic transnationalism, builds upon ancient narratives and inside-outside relations.","PeriodicalId":43547,"journal":{"name":"SOJOURN-Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3000,"publicationDate":"2022-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"1","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"SOJOURN-Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1355/sj36-3d","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"AREA STUDIES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 1
Abstract
Abstract:This paper is an exploratory exercise in understanding the construction of international regions using anthropological perspectives, with Timor-Leste as a case study. We propose that 'local beyond-border perspectives' establish a new domain within the world at large as a representation of transnationalism and globalization 'from the bottom-up'. We discuss this using an interdisciplinary approach—anthropology and international relations—to contribute to the study of international regions through a complementary double-ideological system spanning state relations and local perspectives. We argue that the beyond-border perceptions that people from Timor-Leste have of regional organizations are more appropriately understood as projections of their narratives and aspirations. Such situational flexibility, understood as pragmatic transnationalism, builds upon ancient narratives and inside-outside relations.