How can democratization move forward in an era of populist-nationalist backlash? Many countries in Asia, and elsewhere, face the challenge of navigating between China and the United States in a period of intensifying polarization in their policies tied to democracy. East Asia has shown the way to democratization in Asia—with Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan linking national identity to democratization. In other parts of Asia, especially Southeast Asia, nationalist governments have tended to move away from democratization, as happened in Hong Kong at China’s insistence. This book investigates how national identity can both help and hinder democratization, illustrated by a series of examples from across Asia. A valuable guide for students and scholars both of democratization and of Asian politics.

"Apart from economic devastation and a major public health crisis, the global Covid-19 pandemic has also occasioned disquiet about the evident diminution of democracy across the world and prompted concern that we may be on the verge of a wave of authoritarianism that threatens to overturn the progress that democratization has made in various regions, especially in Asia. At the same time, Asia has seen the resurgence of nationalism and identity politics that has added another level of complexity and division, and these dynamics are unravelling against the backdrop of growing anti-globalization sentiments, escalating Sino-US rivalry that appears to have taken a sharp ideological turn, and erosion of trust in international institutions. Unpacking the drivers of these developments and the nature of the challenges they portend is increasingly urgent in our deeply networked and digitized world.

In this timely volume, Gil Rozman has skillfully pulled together an impressive collection of essays to help us in this endeavor. More than mere reference material, these essays provide sophisticated and insightful analyses of how the interaction of democracy, identity, and foreign policy continues to evolve and shape the study of International Relations." – Joseph Chinyong Liow, Tan Kah Kee Chair Professor of Comparative and International Politics, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

"The three issues of our time are climate change, pandemic, and the crisis of democracy. Democratization, National Identity and Foreign Policy in Asia is a searching look at how each Asian country is waging its particular battle between liberalism and illiberalism, but all as part of a global struggle. The book shows that democracy is being profoundly challenged by sectarianism, corruption, and nationalistic ambitions, but is also surprisingly tenacious. We do not know how the story will end, but Democratization, National Identity and Foreign Policy in Asia is an important guide to understanding how it is developing." – Mark Tokola, Vice President of the Korea Economic Institute (KEI), USA

Gilbert Rozman is the editor of The Asan Forum and the Emeritus Musgrave Professor of Sociology at Princeton University.