In 1993, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) held the first APEC
Economic Leaders Meeting (AELM). Raising APEC interaction to the top track, the level
of leaders, proved to be an effective and powerful dynamic; the AELM continues to meet
annually and to shape APEC policy. The focus on the AELM as the source of vision and
direction reinforces the pivotal importance of this political assemblage, reassures the
populace that leaders do prevail and all is well: essential ingredients, according to Clifford
Geertz, of political theater. The role of journalists, the contemporary scribes or critics, is to
inform the audience of this political drama.
The objective of this research is to demonstrate that real political value exists in the
'Staging of APEC' in terms of effective economic and political integration of benefit to
broad regional interests. The findings draw on the results of a content analysis of news
reports covering the first six years of the AELM (1993-1998). Formally, the AELM is an
opportunity for regional political leaders to engage in regional policy formation outlined by
the pillars of APEC (trade liberalization, facilitation and cooperation) guided by the
principals of open regionalism and concerted unilateralism. Activity on the formal, or main
stage, also flows to the small stage where leaders merge in a neutral venue. On this stage,
leaders are free to examine distinctly non-economic, yet intersecting interests including
domestic agendas, human rights and pluri-lateral security concerns. Together, these dual
stages, neither one complete without the other, form the political theatre of APEC and
provide the value added for the leaders and ultimately for the Asia – Pacific region.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/15405 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Chartrand, Lise L. |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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