Abstract Conventional discussions on territorial disputes have focused mainly on the issues of nationalism, national identity, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolable state boundaries. Manifestations of chauvinism, racism, and right-wing ultranationalism have subsequently surfaced that only serve to heighten conficts. Tere is a need to move away from these divisive and counterproductive perspectives and surface alternative approaches anchored on a shared regional identity, common pool resource, common heritage of mankind, joint development, and attention to popular voices. Te rapidly unfolding reconfguration of societies in the world today has generated new and more nuanced ideas about international relations, state- citizen interactions, national identity, and state sovereignty. States are becoming less able to assert their sovereignty in the face of the expansionary policies of global hegemonic players. But globalization’s other face has also been unmasked by the 2013 crisis in the once-stable European Community, the Brexit impasse and the US-bred global economic meltdown of 2008–2009. Economic crises spawn political crises, sometimes resulting in drastic regime changes which, however, can lead to either lef-progressive tendencies or right-wing and ultranationalist rule. Deepening inequality Despite the hegemony of global capitalism and its vaunted superiority in production and wealth creation, social and economic inequality continues to deepen in both developed and developing societies. Inattention to the above issues has resulted to the rise of a precariat class. Widespread environmental degradation is also an efect of this hegemony. Tis has created wide swathes of chronic popular dissatisfaction and social unrest in many parts of the world. In Latin America and in Western Europe, lef-leaning governments and infuential political movements and parties have emerged as powerful challenges to the dominant capitalist meta-narrative. In some cases, however, popular discontent with the status quo has been exploited by demagogue-like leaders to establish authoritarian populist regimes Alternative approaches to territorial disputes in Northeast and Southeast Asia EDUARDO C. TADEM* * Eduardo C. Tadem, Ph.D. is Convenor of the Program on Alternative Development (AltDev) at the University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP CIDS) and a retired Professor of Asian Studies at UP Diliman. This is revised and updated from a presentation at the International NGO Conference on History and Peace held on July 6–9, 2018 at the New World Manila Bay Hotel, Manila, Philippines. An older version of this article was published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s “Talk of the Town” section on August 3, 2013. UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES PROGRAM ON ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT POLICY BRIEF UP CIDS POLICY BRIEF 2019–12 ISSN 2619-7286 (ONLINE) • ISSN 2619-7278 (PRINT)