From Regional to Global? The Study of Cultural Governance on the Basis of ASEAN’s Cultural Policies

Cultural governance represents a significant evolution in governance practices. Within the spatial dimension, it can be categorized into three domains: domestic, regional, and global governance. These domains are interconnected, with overlapping areas characterized by both cooperation and competition. As a regional organization successful in the political-economic spheres, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) aims to contribute to the regional cultural community. It has amassed unique expertise in cultural governance, which has evolved through three stages: early cooperation, construction in a mature regional framework, and recently, exploration into global cultural governance. Through institutionalized cooperation, identity cultivation, and clear policies, ASEAN has achieved notable governance outcomes. However, as it progresses toward global cultural governance, ASEAN encounters competition for its “central position” and also grapples with a lack of clear global proposals, a stable internal environment, and well-improved mechanisms. ASEAN has a considerable journey ahead in global cultural governance, yet its experiences and lessons are valuable for learning.