"The concept of norms has become integral to the study of ASEAN. Yet given the diversity and complex histories of Southeast Asia and its constituent states, it should hardly be surprising to find norms in conflict. In this volume, Anchalee Rüland expertly unpacks this contestation and argues convincingly for norms to be understood as socially embedded and shaped by concerns for domestic legitimacy and international reputation. The empirical focus on the human rights situation in Myanmar is both timely and prescient given recent developments. This volume makes a valuable contribution to ongoing efforts to understand the possibilities and constraints of the normative endeavours of ASEAN and should be read by all who are interested in the regional affairs of Southeast Asia."—Joseph Chinyong Liow, Tan Kah Kee Chair Professor in Comparative and International Politics, Nanyang Technological University
"Anchalee Rüland's excellently researched, tightly argued and very timely book provides a path-breaking innovative analysis of how states respond to human rights atrocities in their neighbourhood. The study makes a significant theoretical and empirical contribution to our understanding of norms in international relations which goes far beyond the specific case of Southeast Asia."—Jörn Dosch, professor of international relations at the University of Rostock
"The theoretical literature in IR has thus far focused primarily on individual norms - how they shape state behaviour and how they are contested. But this leaves a crucial question unanswered: How should states act in situations where two norms collide? In Norms In Conflict, Anchalee Rüland does more than theorize why and how norms can conflict; she also applies her deep understanding of the politics of Southeast Asia to illustrate the different response strategies states have employed to address norm conflict. This is essential reading for all scholars engaged in norms research and for those who seek to understand the dilemma posed by the twin imperatives to protect human rights and to respect the principle of non-intervention."—Jennifer Welsh, Canada 150 Research Chair in Global Governance and Security, McGill University