The Paradigm Of Original Encounters: Awakening Humanity in the World of International Relations

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By Kevin Henry Villanueva

paperback, 53 pages

There have so far been two periods of transformation, change, and continuity, in modern international relations history following the world in 1400: the realm of law and the realm of power. These were two distinct traditions; each articulated a different normative approach to the problem of international order. The realm of law is the tradition of the peace project, emerging out of the 18^th century. The realm of power, on the other hand, is the tradition of the Concert of Europe. I suggest, however, an understanding of international relations within the framework of “a world order” in contradistinction to “the international system”, the international society of states. Starting with the question of Humanity, I proceed to provide an answer based on the question of who make a people. I draw an eight-point proposition – a moral and political language – that is based on the one hand, the problem of how to live together, and on the other, the historical experience of a long period of harmony in Southeast Asia marked by the absence of inter-state conflict among the members of ASEAN. It is called the Paradigm of Original Encounters from which the realm of peoples emerges. This is an appeal for beginning a humanist language and philosophy to bring back community in international relations.