Beyond Textbook Diplomacy: Regional Identity and Common Security in East Asia

Rejecting the idea that reconciliation must be associated with the discovery and recognition of an objective truth, this paper argues that joint textbook efforts in East Asia are problematic and misdirected. Attempts to remove nationalist content from state textbooks to create ‘overarching metanarratives’ (Lyotard, 1993) further threatens historical identities, potentially leading to increased tensions and security dilemmas. Instead, efforts should be placed on creating a regional identity that promotes common security and prosperity so that past conflicts are no longer seen as threats to states’ security and national existence.