See Seng Tan is President & CEO of International Students Inc (ISI), a faith-based, non-profit organisation in the United States, and concurrently Research Adviser at RSIS and Senior Associate at the Centre for Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) at NTU. A faculty member of RSIS/NTU from 2000 to 2021, Dr Tan was a tenured Professor of International Relations. He received the 2018 Distinguished Alum Award from Arizona State University’s School of Politics and Global Studies and the 2016 Best Teacher Award from RSIS. The author/editor of 19 books and monographs, Dr Tan has published over a hundred scholarly articles and book chapters. His latest books include Awaiting the Impossible: A Dialogue with Derrida, Deconstruction, and the Endless Wait for Messiah (Wipf & Stock, 2022), The European Union’s Security Relations with Asian Partners (Palgrave, 2021), The Responsibility to Provide in Southeast Asia: Towards an Ethical Explanation (Bristol UP, 2019), and The Legal Authority of ASEAN as a Security Institution (Cambridge UP, 2019). Dr Tan has consulted for various international organisations and national governments, including that of Singapore, and has held visiting appointments and fellowships at various universities and research institutes. At RSIS, he previously served as Deputy Director and Head of Research of the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS) and as the founding Head of the Centre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS). He holds BA Honours (First) and MA degrees from the University of Manitoba, a PhD from Arizona State University, and a Doctor of Ministry (DMin) from Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology.

• Critical Social Thought
• International Relations Theory
• Multilateralism and Regionalism
• Conflict Management
• Politics and Security of Southeast Asia and the Asia Pacific

• Elected Member, NTU Senate
• Member, Advisory, Asia Policy Journal
• Member, Advisory Board, NTU-SBF Centre for African Studies

Monographs

• From 'Boots' to 'Brogues': The Rise of Defence Diplomacy in Southeast Asia

  10 October, 2011

• Collaboration under Anarchy: Functional Regionalism and the Security of East Asia

  30 July, 2009

• Do Institutions Matter? Regional Institutions and Regionalism in East Asia

  23 June, 2008

• People's ASEAN and Governments' ASEAN

  11 September, 2007

• A New Agenda for the ASEAN Regional Forum

  15 July, 2002

Working Papers

• WP265 | South Korea’s Middle-Power Engagement Initiatives: Perspectives from Southeast Asia

  28 July, 2013

• WP189 | The ASEAN Regional Forum and Preventive Diplomacy: A Failure in Practice

  07 December, 2009

• WP027 | Great Power Politics in Contemporary East Asia: Negotiating Multipolarity or Hegemony?

  01 July, 2002

• WP028 | What Fear Hath Wrought: Missile Hysteria and The Writing of “America”

  01 July, 2002

• WP011 | Human Security: Discourse, Statecraft, Emancipation

  01 May, 2001

• WP008 | Asia-Pacific Diplomacies: Reading Discontinuity in Late-Modern Diplomatic Practice

  01 February, 2001

Policy Reports

• An Agenda for the East Asia Summit: 30 Recommendations for Regional Cooperation in East Asia

  01 November, 2005

RSIS Commentary Series

• The Asian Art of Hedging in the Time of Donald Trump

  29 May, 2025

• Shadow of Ukraine War over Shangri-La Dialogue

  01 June, 2023

• ASEAN and Myanmar: Litmus Test or Existential Challenge?

  19 January, 2022

• HADR in Multilateral Asia: Whither Faith-Based Actors?

  27 December, 2021

• What Might ASEAN Expect from Biden?

  17 November, 2020

• How Will Biden Respond to China?

  17 September, 2020

• ADMM-Plus at 10: Getting Regional Security Right

  16 December, 2019

• CO18016 | After Marawi: Military’s Regional Role in Counter-terrorism?

  01 February, 2018

• CO17201 | ADMM-Plus: Can It Do “CUES” in the South China Sea?

  26 October, 2017

• CO15257 | The 3rd ADMM-Plus: Did the Media Get it Right?

  26 November, 2015

• CO13158 | Future of ADMM-Plus: Asia's Growing Defence Engagements

  26 August, 2013

• CO11164 | Visions at War?: EAS in the Regional Architecture Debate

  10 November, 2011

• CO10141 | East Asia Summit 2010: Big Step Forward, or Business-as-Usual?

  04 November, 2010

• CO10084 | ASEAN Regional Forum at 17: The Curse of “ad hoc-ism”?

  28 July, 2010

• CO09049 | The “Asia-Pacific Community” Idea: What Next?

  25 May, 2009

• CO08072 | Asean’s Human Rights Body: Lessons From Helsinki

  27 June, 2008

• CO08047 | The US Push for a Northeast Asia Forum: Three Ramifications for East Asian Regionalism

  16 April, 2008

• CO07052 | The Tao of Spider-Man: Lessons for Singapore Defence and Diplomacy

  01 June, 2007

• CO06119 | A New Era in US-ASEAN Relations

  14 November, 2006

• CO06049 | Saving Timor: Whose Responsibility Is It?

  12 June, 2006

• CO05081 | The Coming East Asia Summit: A Thirty-Point Agenda

  17 November, 2005

• CO03042 | “Irrelevant” UN, “Irreverent” US: Whither Institutionalism After Iraq?

  05 December, 2003

• CO03024 | Security Challenges in the South Pacific and Australian Pre-emption Policy

  27 June, 2003

• CO02027 | Deja Vu? Australia’s Reaction To Bali

  30 October, 2002

Commemorative / Event Reports

• Roundtable on Asian Security 2009: "No Community without Commitment: Towards Functional Regionalism in East Asia"

  20 March, 2009

• Report on "No Community without Cooperation: Regional Institutions and Asia's Security Order, Sentosa Roundtable on Asian Security 2008"

  19 January, 2008

IDSS Papers

• IP25049 | From Trump 1.0 to Trump 2.0: Implications for Asia

  15 April, 2025

• IP25050 | Has the United States Gone Rogue? What Singapore Needs to Do

  15 April, 2025

• IP24061 | What Might a Harris Foreign Policy Bring?

  29 July, 2024

• IP24055 | Bracing for a Possible Trump 2.0: Implications for the Indo-Pacific

  25 June, 2024

• IP24051 | A View of the World from Shangri-La

  23 May, 2024

• IP23003 | Indonesia’s 2023 ASEAN Chairmanship: What to Expect

  06 January, 2023

• IP22001 | AUKUS: Not That Bad for ASEAN?

  05 January, 2022

• IP21001 | America, ASEAN and the Question of ASEAN's Centrality

  20 August, 2021

Books

• After Bali: The Threat of Terrorism in Southeast Asia

  23 December, 2003

Authored Books

• Awaiting the Impossible: A Dialogue with Derrida, Deconstruction, and the Endless Wait for Messiah. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2022
• The Responsibility to Provide in Southeast Asia: Towards an Ethical Explanation. Bristol: Bristol University Press, 2019
• The Legal Authority of ASEAN as a Security Institution (with Hitoshi Nasu, Rob McLaughlin, and Donald R. Rothwell). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2019
• Multilateral Asian Security Architecture: Non-ASEAN Stakeholders. Oxfordshire: Routledge, 2015
• The Making of the Asia Pacific: Knowledge Brokers and the Politics of Representation. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Amsterdam University Press, 2013
• The Role of Knowledge Communities in Constructing Asia-Pacific Security: How Thought and Talk Make War and Peace. Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen, 2007

Journal Articles

• “America’s foreign policy after Biden: What can the Indo‐Pacific region expect?” in Asian Politics and Policy, 2024, pp. 1-16
• “(Still) Supporting the Indispensable Power: Singapore’s Relations with the United States from Trump to Biden” in Asia Policy, 16, 4, 2021, pp. 77-85
• “Can America Come Back? U.S.–Southeast Asia Relations” in Asia Policy, 16, 4, 2021, 77
• “Consigned to Hedge: South-east Asia and America’s “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” Strategy” in International Affairs, Vol. 96, No. 1, 2020, pp. 131–148
• “Is ASEAN Finally Getting Multilateralism Right? From ARF to ADMM+” in Asian Studies Review, 2019, pp. 1-16
• “Book Review of ‘American Grand Strategy and East Asian Security in the Twenty-first Century’ (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) by David C Kang” in International Relations of the Asia-Pacific, 19, No. 1, 2019, pp. 177-180
• “Sending in the Cavalry: The Growing Militarization of Counterterrorism in Southeast Asia” in PRISM, Vol. 7, No. 4, 2018, pp. 138-147
• “Asia Watcher: Introduction to a Festschrift in Honor of Sheldon Simon” in Asia Policy, Vol. 13, No. 4, 2018, pp. 4-9
• “Asia’s ‘Tragic’ Return to Great-Power Politics?” in Asia Policy, Vol. 13, No. 4, 2018, pp. 36-41
• “Providing for the Other: Rethinking Sovereignty and Responsibility in Southeast Asia” in Critical Studies on Security, Vol. 5, No. 3, 2017, pp. 270-286
• Tan, See Seng. “A Tale of Two Institutions: The ARF, ADMM-Plus and Security Regionalism in the Asia Pacific.” In Ian Storey and Mustafa Izzuddin (eds.), “Roundtable: ASEAN at Fifty and Beyond”, Contemporary Southeast Asia 39, no. 2 (2017): 259-264.
• Tan, See Seng and Hitoshi Nasu. “ASEAN and the Development of Counter-Terrorism Law and Policy in Southeast Asia,” UNSW Law Journal, Vol. 39, No. 3 (2016), pp. 1219–1238
• Tan, See Seng. “Rethinking "ASEAN Centrality" in the Regional Governance of East Asia”, Singapore Economic Review, Vol. 63, No. 1 (2018) [electronically published 10 Aug 2016; DOI: 10.1142/S0217590818400076]
• Tan, See Seng. "The ADMM-Plus: Regionalism That Works?" Asia Policy 22 (July 2016): 70 - 75.
• Teo, Sarah, Bhubhindar Singh and See Seng Tan. "Southeast Asian Perspectives on South Korea’s Middle Power Engagement Initiatives." Asian Survey 56, no. 3 (2016): 555-580.
• Tan, See Seng. "America the Indispensable Power: Singapore's Perspective of America as a Security Partner." Asian Politics & Policy, Vol. 8, Issue 1 (January 2016), pp. 119-135.
• Tan, See Seng. "Asian Multilateralism in the Age of Japan's ‘New Normal’: Perils and Prospects." Japanese Journal of Political Science 16 , no. 3 (2015): 296-314. doi:10.1017/S1468109915000201.
• Tan, See Seng. “Mailed Fists and Velvet Gloves: The Relevance of Smart Power to Singapore’s Evolving Defence and Foreign Policy,” Journal of Strategic Studies 38:3 (2015): 332-358.
• Tan, See Seng and Kalyan Kemburi. (Guest Eds.) “Special Issue: China-US Relations and Regional Order in the Era of Rebalancing: Asia-Pacific Perspectives.” Issues & Studies 50, no. 3 (2014).
• Tan, See Seng. 2013. “Book Review of Southeast Asia and the English School of International Relations: A Region-Theory Dialogue by Linda Quayle.” Contemporary Southeast Asia 35:447–9.
• Tan, See Seng. 2013. “Book Review of Southeast Asia and the English School of International Relations: A Region-Theory Dialogue by Linda Quayle.” Contemporary Southeast Asia 35:447–9.
• Tan, See Seng. 2013. “Herding Cats: The Role of Persuasion in Political Change and Continuity in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).” International Relations of the Asia-Pacific 13:233–65.
• Tan, See Seng. 2012. “Review of Making a World after Empire: The Bandung Moment and Its Political Afterlives edited by Christopher Lee.” Comparativ – Zeitschriftfür Globalgeschichte und Vergleichende Gesellschaftsforschung (Journal of Global History and Comparative Study of Societies) 22:131.
• Tan, See Seng. 2012. “Spectres of Leifer: Insights on Regional Order and Security for Southeast Asia Today.” Contemporary Southeast Asia 34:309–37.
• Tan, See Seng. 2012. “Review of Making a World after Empire: The Bandung Moment and Its Political Afterlives edited by Christopher Lee.” Comparativ – Zeitschriftfür Globalgeschichte und Vergleichende Gesellschaftsforschung (Journal of Global History and Comparative Study of Societies) 22:131.
• Tan, See Seng, and Bhubhindar Singh, eds. 2012. “Special Issue: Defence Diplomacy in Southeast Asia.” Asian Security 8.
• Tan, See Seng. 2012. “Faced with the Dragon: Perils and Prospects in Singapore’s Relationship with China.” Chinese Journal of International Politics 5: 245–65.
• Tan, See Seng, and Bhubhindar Singh. 2012. “Introduction: Defence Diplomacy in Southeast Asia.” Asian Security 8:221–31.
• Tan, See Seng. 2012. “‘Talking Their Walk’? The Evolution of Defence Regionalism in Southeast Asia.” Asian Security 8:232–50.
• Tan, See Seng. 2011. “America the Indispensable: Singapore’s View of the United States’ Engagement in the Asia-Pacific.” Asian Affairs: An American Review 38:1–16.
• Tan, See Seng. 2011. “Book Review of APEC at 20: Recall, Reflect, Remake edited by K. Kesavapany and Hank Lim.” The Singapore Economic Review 56:149–51.
• Tan, See Seng. 2011. “Providers Not Protectors: Institutionalising Responsible Sovereignty in Southeast Asia.” Asian Security 7:201–17.
• Tan, See Seng. 2011. “Book Review of APEC at 20: Recall, Reflect, Remake edited by K. Kesavapany and Hank Lim.” The Singapore Economic Review 56:149–51.
• “The ASEAN Regional Forum and Preventive Diplomacy: Built to Fail?” (with Ralf Emmers) in Asian Security, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2011. pp. 44-60
• Tan, See Seng. 2011. “Is Asia-Pacific Regionalism Outgrowing ASEAN?” RUSI Journal 156:60–4.
• Tan, See Seng. 2011. “Is Asia-Pacific Regionalism Outgrowing ASEAN?” RUSI Journal 156:60–4.
• Tan, See Seng, and Alan Chong. 2009. “Teaching International Relations in Singapore 1956–2008: From Supporting Development to Global City Aspirations?” International Relations of the Asia-Pacific 9:19–54.
• Tan, See Seng, and Alvin Chew. 2008. “Governing Singapore’s Security Sector: Problem, Prospect and Paradox.” Contemporary Southeast Asia 30:241–63.
• “Governing Singapore’s Security Sector: Problems, Prospects and Paradox” (with Alvin Chew) in Contemporary Southeast Asia, Vol. 30, No. 2, 2008
• Tan, See Seng. 2007. “Whither Societas Civilis in the Asia-Pacific after 11 September: Ideological Absolutism and Ethics in an Age of Terror.” Australian Journal of International Affairs 61:232–46.
• Tan, See Seng. 2006. “Rescuing Constructivism from the Constructivists: A Critical Reading of Constructivist Interventions in Southeast Asian Security.” The Pacific Review 19:239–60.
• Tan, See Seng, and Amitav Acharya. 2006. “Betwixt Balance and Community: America, ASEAN, and the Security of Southeast Asia.” International Relations of the Asia-Pacific 6:37–59.
• Tan, See Seng. 2005. “Nonofficial Diplomacy in Southeast Asia: ‘Civil Society’ or ‘Civil Service’?” Contemporary Southeast Asia 27: 370–87.
• Tan, See Seng. 2005. “Untying Leifer’s Discourse on Order and Power.” The Pacific Review 18:71–93.
• Tan, See Seng. 2005. “NGOs in Conflict Management in Southeast Asia.” International Peacekeeping 12:41–5.5
• Tan, See Seng, and Kumar Ramakrishna. 2004. “Interstate and Intrastate Dynamics in Southeast Asia’s War on Terror.” The SAIS Review of International Affairs 24: 91–105.
• Ramakrishna, Kumar, and Tan See Seng. “Interstate and Intrastate Dynamics in Southeast Asia’s War on Terror”. SAIS Review, Vol. 24, No. 1 (Winter-Spring 2004): 91-105.
• Tan, See Seng. 2003. “Review of Local Cultures and the ‘New Asia’: The State, Culture, and Capitalism in Southeast Asia edited by C.J.W.-L. Wee.” Journal of Asian Studies 62:717–8.
• Tan, See Seng. 2003. “Review of Local Cultures and the ‘New Asia’: The State, Culture, and Capitalism in Southeast Asia edited by C.J.W.-L. Wee.” Journal of Asian Studies 62:717–8.
• “Multilateralism Matters in the Asia Pacific: Presenting a New Agenda for the ASEAN Regional Forum” (with Ralf Emmers, and Mely Caballero-Anthony) in Pointer: Journal of the Singapore Armed Forces, Vol. 28, 2002. pp. 44–61
• Tan, See Seng, and Chong Guan Kwa. 2001. “The Keystone of World Order.” The Washington Quarterly 24: 95–103.

Edited Books / Special Issues

• The European Union’s Security Relations with Asian Partners (with Thomas Christiansen, and Emil Kirchner ), Eds. Europe: Palgrave Macmillan, 2021
• United States Engagement in the Asia Pacific: Perspectives from Asia (with Yoichiro Sato), Eds. Amherst, New York: Cambria Press, 2015
• Bandung Revisited: The Legacy of the 1955 Asian-African Conference for International Order (with Amitav Acharya), Eds. Honolulu, Hawaii: University of Hawaii Press (Originally published by National University of Singapore Press, 2008), 2009
• Regionalism in Asia, Volume I: International Relations Theory and ASEAN. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2009
• Regionalism in Asia, Volume II: ASEAN and Regional Security of Southeast Asia. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2009
• Regionalism in Asia, Volume III: Regional Order and Architecture in Asia. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2009
• Regionalism in Asia, Volume IV: Non-official Diplomacy and Activism in Asia. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2009
• Asia-Pacific Security Cooperation: National Interests and Regional Order (with Amitav Acharya), Eds. Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe, 2004
• After Bali: The Threat of Terrorism in Southeast Asia (with Kumar Ramakrishna), Eds. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing Co, 2002

Chapters in Edited Books

• “Southeast Asia in 2022: Holding Resilience amid Volatilities” in Hoang Thi Ha, Daljit Singh, Southeast Asian Affairs 2023. Singapore: ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, 2023, pp. 3-18
• “Southeast Asia’s Struggle for Autonomy Amid US−China Rivalry” in , Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment 2021. UK: International Institute for Strategic Studies , 2021,
• “Regional Security” (with Thomas Christiansen , and Emil Kirchner) in Tan See Seng, The European Union’s Security Relations with Asian Partners. Europe: Palgrave Macmillan, 2021, pp. 73 - 93
• “Coping with the Dragon: Vulnerability and Engagement in Singapore-China Relations” in Donald K. Emmerson, The Deer and the Dragon: Southeast Asia and China in the 21st Century. Palo Alto, CA: Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, Stanford University Press, 2020, pp. 197-220
• “ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus: Multilateralism mimicking minilateralism?” in Bhubhindar Singh and Sarah Teo (Eds.), Minilateralism in the Indo-Pacific: The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism, and ASEAN. Oxon: Routledge, 2020, pp. 120-134
• “ASEAN and Multilateralism 2.0: Locating ASEAN Centrality within the FOIP and the BRI” in Kai He (Ed.), Contested Multilateralism 2.0 and Asian Security Dynamics. London: Routledge, 2020, pp. 147-160
• “Rejuvenating the ARF: Challenges and Prospects” in Ron Huisken (Ed.), CSCAP Regional Security Outlook 2019 + ARF — The next 25 years. Canberra: Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific, 2019, pp. 67-69
• “Multilateralism at War? Competing Visions of Regional Architecture in East Asia” in Stephen Aris, Aglaya Snetkov and Andreas Wenger (Eds.), Inter-organizational Relations in International Security: Cooperation and Competition. London and New York: Routledge, 2018, pp. 92-108
• “The ‘Singapore School’ and the Contested Enterprise of Terrorism” in Anna Leander and Ole Waever (Eds.), Assembling Exclusive Expertise: Knowledge, Ignorance and Conflict Resolution in the Global South. London and New York: Routledge, 2018, 110-126
• “From ARF to ADMM+: Is the Asia-Pacific Finally Getting Multilateralism Right?” in Christian Echle, Patrick Rueppel, Megha Sarmah and Yeo Lay Hwee (Eds.), Multilateralism in a Changing World. Singapore: Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, 2018, 57-70
• “The ADMM and ADMM-Plus: Regional Security Mechanisms That Work?” in Tim Huxley and William Choong (Eds.), Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment 2018. London: International Institute for Strategic Studies, 2018, 165-175
• “When Giants Vie: China-US Competition, Institutional Balancing, and East Asian Multilateralism” in Huiyun Feng and Kai He (Eds.), US-China Competition and the South China Sea Disputes. Abingdon and New York: Routledge, 2018, 116-133
• Tan, See Seng. “Defence and Security Cooperation in East Asia: Whither ASEAN Centrality?” In International Security in the Asia-Pacific: Transcending ASEAN towards Transitional Polycentrism, edited by Alan Chong, pp. 61-84. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2018.
• Tan, See Seng. “Not Quite the ‘ASEAN Way’? Southeast Asia’s Evolution to Rules-based Management of Intra-ASEAN Differences.” In ASEAN@50 Vol. 4: Building ASEAN Community: Political-Security and Socio-Cultural Reflections, edited by Aileen Baviera and Larry Maramis, pp. 67–87. Jakarta: Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), 2017.
• Nasu, Hitoshi, and See Seng Tan. "A Rules-Based Order in the Asia-Pacific." The Centre of Gravity Series no. 34 (2017): 9-13, Canberra, ACT: Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University. Available at: http://sdsc.bellschool.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/publications/attachments/2017-06/cog_34_global_rules_based_order.pdf
• Tan, See Seng. "Digging in Its Backyard: Why Australia Should Deepen Engagement with Southeast Asia." The Centre of Gravity Series, no. 17 (2014): 18–21. Canberra, ACT: Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University, 2014. Available at: http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/COG%20%2317%20Web.pdf.
• Tan, See Seng. “Engaging China and the United States: Perils and Prospects for ASEAN Diplomacy in the Age of Rebalancing.” In New Dynamics in US-China Relations: Contending for the Asia-Pacific, edited by Li Mingjiang and Kalyan M. Kemburi, 67-84. Abingdon, Oxford: Routledge, 2014.
• Tan, See Seng. “Hobnobbing with Giants: Australia’s Approach to Asian Regionalism.” In The Australia-ASEAN Dialogue: Tracing 40 Years of Partnership, edited by Sally Percival Wood and Baogang He, 33-48. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014.
• Tan, See Seng. “Nonofficial Diplomacy in Southeast Asia: Civil Society or ‘Civil Service’?.” In Foreign Policies and Diplomacies in Asia: Changes in Practice, Concepts, and Thinking in a Rising Region, edited by Matthias Maass, 109-122. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2014.
• Tan, See Seng. 2012. “ASEAN, the United Nations, and the Security of Southeast Asia: Problems, Prospects, and Paradox.” In The United Nations and the Regions: Third World Report on Regional Integration, edited by Philippe De Lombaerde, Francis Baert and Tania Felicio, 157–65. London and New York: Springer.
• Tan, See Seng. 2012. “Towards a ‘Responsibility to Provide’: Cultivating an Ethic of Responsible Sovereignty in Southeast Asia.” In Norms of Protection: Responsibility to Protect, Protection of Civilians and Their Interaction, edited by Angus Francis, Vesselin Popovski and Charles Sampford, 249–67. Tokyo, Japan: United Nations University Press.
• “The ASEAN Regional Forum and Preventive Diplomacy: A Review Essay” (with Ralf Emmers) in Ralf Emmers (Ed.), ASEAN and the Institutionalization of East Asia. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2011, pp. 89-102
• Tan, See Seng. 2011. “Conclusion: Trends and Driving Forces in East Asian Regionalism.” In ASEAN and the Institutionalization of East Asia, edited by Ralf Emmers, 192–6. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
• Tan, See Seng. 2009. “‘Dragon-Riding’: Singapore’s Pragmatic Relationship with China.” in The Rise of China: Responses from Southeast Asia and Japan, NIDS Joint Research Series No. 4, edited by Jun Tsunekawa, 21–45. Tokyo: National institute for Defense Studies.
• Tan, See Seng. 2009. “Southeast Asia: Theory and Praxis in International Relations.” In International Relations Scholarship around the World, edited by Arlene B. Tickner and Olé Wæver, 120–33. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
• Tan, See Seng. 2009. “The Perils and Prospects of Dragon Riding: Reassurance and ‘Costly Signals’ in China-ASEAN Relations.” In Rising China: Power and Reassurance, edited by Ron Huisken, 165–84. Canberra: Australian National University E-Press.
• Tan, See Seng. 2009. “‘Dragon-Riding’: Singapore’s Pragmatic Relationship with China.” In The Rise of China: Responses from Southeast Asia and Japan, NIDS Joint Research Series No. 4, edited by Jun Tsunekawa, 21–45. Tokyo: National Institute for Defense Studies.
• Tan, See Seng. 2008. “ASEAN: The Road Not Taken.” In The Long Shadow: Nuclear Weapons and Security in 21st Century Asia, edited by Muthiah Alagappa, 451–76. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.
• Tan, See Seng, and Amitav Acharya. 2008. “Introduction: The Normative Relevance of the Bandung Conference for Contemporary Asian and International Order.” In Bandung Revisited: The Legacy of the 1955 Asian-African Conference for International Order, edited by Tan See Seng and Amitav Acharya, 1–16. Singapore: National University of Singapore Press.
• Tan, See Seng. 2008. “Rescuing Constructivism from the Constructivists: A Critical Reading of Constructivist Interventions in Southeast Asian Security.” In Theorising Southeast Asian Relations: Emerging Debates, edited by Amitav Acharya and Richard Stubbs, 109–29. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
• Tan, See Seng, and Joseph Liow Chin Yong. 2008. “Southeast Asia.” In From Superpower to Besieged Global Power: Restoring World Order after the Failure of the Bush Doctrine, edited by Edward Kolodziej and Roger Kanet, 115–33. Athens, Georgia: University of Georgia Press.
• Tan, See Seng. 2008. “Whither Sovereignty in Southeast Asia Today?” In Re-envisioning Sovereignty: The End of Westphalia?, edited by Trudy Jacobsen, Charles Sampford and Ramesh Thakur, 83–99. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate.
• Tan, See Seng. 2007. “Spectres, Signposts, and the Search for Regional Order in East Asia.” in Regional Order in East Asia: ASEAN and Japan Perspectives, NIDS Joint Research Series No. 1, edited by Jun Tsunekawa, 15–29. Tokyo: National institute for Defense Studies.
• Tan, See Seng. 2007. “The Quintessential Regionalist: Jusuf Wanandi's Contributions to Asian Track Two Diplomacy.” in The inclusive Regionalist: A Festschrift Dedicated to Jusuf Wanandi, edited by Hadi Soesastro and Clara Joewono, 31–42. Jakarta: Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
• Tan, See Seng. 2007. “Whither ASEAN Political and Security Cooperation?” in The ASEAN Security Community: Where Will It Go?, edited by Erwin Schweisshelm, 18–25. Jakarta: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, LEMHANAS and Gadjah Mada University.
• Tan, See Seng. 2007. “Deconstructing the Discourse on Epistemic Agency: A Singaporean Tale of Two ‘Essentialisms.’” In Critical Security in the Asia-Pacific, edited by Anthony Burke and Matt McDonald, 72–85. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
• Tan, See Seng. 2007. “Spectres, Signposts, and the Search for Regional Order in East Asia.” In Regional Order in East Asia: ASEAN and Japan Perspectives, NIDS Joint Research Series No. 1, edited by Jun Tsunekawa, 15–29. Tokyo: National Institute for Defense Studies.
• Tan, See Seng. 2007. “The Quintessential Regionalist: Jusuf Wanandi's Contributions to Asian Track Two Diplomacy.” In The Inclusive Regionalist: A Festschrift Dedicated to Jusuf Wanandi, edited by Hadi Soesastro and Clara Joewono, 31–42. Jakarta: Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
• Tan, See Seng. 2007. “Whither ASEAN Political and Security Cooperation?” In The ASEAN Security Community: Where Will It Go?, edited by Erwin Schweisshelm, 18–25. Jakarta: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, LEMHANAS and Gadjah Mada University.
• Tan, See Seng. 2006. “Untying Leifer’s Discourse on Order and Power.” in Order and Security in Southeast Asia: Essays in Memory of Michael Leifer, edited by Joseph C.Y. Liow and Ralf Emmers, 61–77. London: Routledge.
• Tan, See Seng. 2006. “Lévinas and the Question of Civilizational Amity after September 11.” In Disrupting Violence: Religion and Conflict in South and Southeast Asia, edited by Linell E. Cady and Sheldon W. Simon, 174–93. London: Routledge.
• Tan, See Seng. 2006. “Untying Leifer’s Discourse on Order and Power.” In Order and Security in Southeast Asia: Essays in Memory of Michael Leifer, edited by Joseph C.Y. Liow and Ralf Emmers, 61–77. London: Routledge.
• Tan, See Seng, and Amitav Acharya. 2004. “introduction.” in Asia-Pacific Security Cooperation: National interests and Regional Order, edited by Tan See Seng and Amitav Acharya, ix–xxix. Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe.
• Tan, See Seng, and Amitav Acharya. 2004. “Introduction.” In Asia-Pacific Security Cooperation: National Interests and Regional Order, edited by Tan See Seng and Amitav Acharya, ix–xxix. Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe.
• Tan, See Seng. 2003. “Enemy of Their Making? US Security Discourse on the September 11 Terror Problematique.” in After Bali: The Threat of Terrorism in Southeast Asia, edited by Kumar Ramakrishna and Tan See Seng, 261–80. Singapore: World Scientific.
• Tan, See Seng. 2003. “introduction: Is Southeast Asia a ‘Terrorist Haven’?” in After Bali: The Threat of Terrorism in Southeast Asia, edited by Kumar Ramakrishna and Tan See Seng, 1–35. Singapore: World Scientific.
• Tan, See Seng, and Amitav Acharya. 2003. “Regionalism, institutional Change, and Military Missions in the Asia Pacific.” in Nontraditional Roles of the Military and Security in East Asia, 50th Anniversary International Symposium on Security Affairs, 141–157. Tokyo: National institute of Defence Studies.
• Tan, See Seng. 2003. “Enemy of Their Making? US Security Discourse on the September 11 Terror Problematique.” In After Bali: The Threat of Terrorism in Southeast Asia, edited by Kumar Ramakrishna and Tan See Seng, 261–80. Singapore: World Scientific.
• Tan, See Seng. 2003. “Introduction: Is Southeast Asia a ‘Terrorist Haven’?” In After Bali: The Threat of Terrorism in Southeast Asia, edited by Kumar Ramakrishna and Tan See Seng, 1–35. Singapore: World Scientific.
• Tan, See Seng, and Amitav Acharya. 2003. “Regionalism, Institutional Change, and Military Missions in the Asia Pacific.” In Nontraditional Roles of the Military and Security in East Asia, 50th Anniversary International Symposium on Security Affairs, 141–157. Tokyo: National Institute of Defence Studies.
• Ramakrishna, Kumar, and Tan, See Seng. “Is Southeast Asia a ‘Terrorist Haven’?” in After Bali: The Threat of Terrorism in Southeast Asia, edited by Kumar Ramakrishna and See Seng Tan, 1-38. Singapore: World Scientific, 2003.
• Tan, See Seng. 2002. “Great Power Politics in Contemporary East Asia: Negotiating Multipolarity or Hegemony?” in Dialogue and Cooperation Occasional Papers No. 1/2002, 71–83. Singapore: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.
• “Human Security: Discourse, Statecraft, Emancipation” in David Dickens (Ed.), The Human Face of Security: Asia-Pacific Perspectives. Canberra, ACT: Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University, 2002, pp. 30–43
• “The Keystone of World Order” (with Kwa Chong Guan) in Alexander T. J. Lennon (Ed.), What Does the World Want from America? International Perspectives on US Foreign Policy. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 2002, pp. 39–49
• Tan, See Seng. 2002. “Great Power Politics in Contemporary East Asia: Negotiating Multipolarity or Hegemony?” In Dialogue and Cooperation Occasional Papers No. 1/2002, 71–83. Singapore: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.
• Tan, See Seng, and Ralph A. Cossa. 2001. “Rescuing Realism from the Realists: A Theoretical Note on East Asian Security.” in The Many Faces of Asian Security, edited by Sheldon W. Simon, 15–34. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.
• Tan, See Seng. 2001. “US Foreign Policy after 11 September: Implications for Southeast Asia.” in Regional Political and Security Implications of the Terror Attacks in the United States, Trends in Southeast Asia No. 13, edited by Derek da Cunha, 7–11. Singapore: institute of Southeast Asian Studies.
• Tan, See Seng, and Ralph A. Cossa. 2001. “Rescuing Realism from the Realists: A Theoretical Note on East Asian Security.” In The Many Faces of Asian Security, edited by Sheldon W. Simon, 15–34. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.
• Tan, See Seng. 2001. “US Foreign Policy after 11 September: Implications for Southeast Asia.” In Regional Political and Security Implications of the Terror Attacks in the United States, Trends in Southeast Asia No. 13, edited by Derek da Cunha, 7–11. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

Working Papers

• Facilitating China-US Relations in the Age of Rebalancing: ASEAN’s “Middle Power” Diplomacy, EAI MPD Working Paper No. 1, , 18 October 2013
• Institutions for Asian Integration: Innovation and Reform (with Giovanni Capannelli), ADBI Working Paper No. 375, Japan, 31 August 2012
• The East Asia Summit and the Regional Security Architecture (with Ralf Emmers, and Joseph Liow Chin Yong), Maryland Series in Contemporary Asian Studies, College Park, MD: University of Maryland, 1 January 2011
• Institutions for Regional Integration: Toward an Asian Economic Community, Asian Development Bank, Manila, 31 December 2010

Op-Eds

• “The Asian Art of Hedging in the Time of Donald Trump”, Channel NewsAsia, 29 May 2025
• “Commentary: The Asian art of hedging in the time of Donald Trump”, Channel News Asia, 29 May 2025
• “It’s all about China: The key to future US ties with South-east Asia”, The Straits Times, 1 November 2024
• “Shangri-La Dialogue: Stage set for high drama over South China Sea shoals”, The Straits Times, 31 May 2024
• “For Myanmar, South-east Asia’s Outcast, ASEAN is its only Antidote”, The Straits Times, 20 January 2024
• “The Plea for ASEAN to Pull its Weight is Now a Constant Refrain”, Channel News Asia, 13 September 2023
• “Shadow of Ukraine War over Shangri-La Dialogue”, The Straits Times, 31 May 2023
• “Shadow of Ukraine war over Shangri-La Dialogue”, The Straits Times, 31 May 2023
• “Myanmar Crisis is ASEAN’s Sisyphean Burden”, The Straits Times, 13 May 2023
• “Myanmar crisis is Asean’s Sisyphean burden”, The Straits Times, 13 May 2023
• “Biden’s Underwhelming Engagement with Southeast Asia”, East Asia Forum, 2 October 2021
• “Can Faith in US Leadership in Southeast Asia be Restored?”, Channel NewsAsia Online, 5 August 2021
• “ADMM+ a plus for mitigating US–China rivalry”, East Asia Forum, 22 February 2020
• “The rules-based maritime order is not completely adrift”, East Asia Forum, 12 June 2019
• “Is the ASEAN Getting Regional Security Right?”, AlSharq Forum Task Force, 13 November 2018
• “Three Challenges for ASEAN in Military’s Growing Role in Fighting Terror”, The Straits Times, 13 September 2018
• “China and Asean: Big gains from a simple maritime exercise”, The Straits Times, 3 August 2018
• Tan, See Seng. "In defence of ADMM+." East Asia Forum, 30 April 2018. http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2018/04/30/in-defence-of-admm
  
• Tan, See Seng. "Singapore paving the way for greater regional security." The Straits Times, 23 February 2018. http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/spore-paving-the-way-for-greater-regional-security
• Tan, See Seng. "Military's regional role in counter-terrorism." New Straits Times, 7 February 2018. https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2018/02/332838/militarys-regional-role-counter-terrorism
• Tan, See Seng. “A defence of ADMM Plus.” East Asia Forum Quarterly 10, no. 1 (2018): 26-27. Acton, ACT 2601: ANU Press. http://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/n4206/pdf/book.pdf?referer=4206
• Tan, See Seng. "Can East Asian regionalism be a bulwark against a ‘post-liberal’ West?" East Asia Forum, 18 November 2017. http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2017/11/18/can-east-asian-regionalism-be-a-bulwark-against-a-post-liberal-west/
• Tan, See Seng. "Can the ADMM-Plus Do “CUES” in the South China Sea?" PacNet #78, 30 October 2017. https://www.csis.org/analysis/pacnet-78-can-admm-plus-do-cues-south-china-sea
• Tan, See Seng. "Can East-Asian Regionalism Provide a Bulwark Against a ‘Post-Liberal’ International Order?" JPI PeaceNet #58, 23 October 2017. http://www.jpi.or.kr/eng/regular/policy_view.sky?code=EnOther&id=5325
• Tan, See Seng. “Minilateralism: A Way Out of ASEAN’s Consensus Conundrum?” Special Issue on ASEAN’s 50th Anniversary, ASEAN Focus, no. 5 (October 2017): 9. Singapore: ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.
• Tan, See Seng, “Defence diplomacy in regional security”, The Straits Times, 27 May 2016.
• Tan, See Seng, "The media got the 3rd ADMM-Plus wrong", PacNet # 82, Pacific Forum (CSIS), 1 December 2015.
• Tan, See Seng, “Claims of Asean disunity at summit unfounded”, The Straits Times, 26 November 2015.
• Tan, See Seng. “The United States: Still Singapore’s Indispensable Partner?” Asia Pacific Bulletin, No. 295, 10 December 2014, http://www.eastwestcenter.org/sites/default/files/private/apb295.pdf.
• Tan, See Seng. 2013. “ASEAN Defence Talks Take Modest Turn.” The Bangkok Post, 27 August.
• Tan, See Seng. 2013. “ASEAN Defence Talks Take Modest Turn.” The Bangkok Post, 27 August.
• Tan, See Seng. 2013. “A Farewell to Grandiosity? Practical Cooperation and the ADMM-Plus.” PacNet, No. 65, 13 August.
• Tan, See Seng. 2013. “A Farewell to Grandiosity? Practical Cooperation and the ADMM-Plus.” PacNet, No. 65, 13 August.
• Tan, See Seng. 2012. “Seeking Regional Stability, Singapore Deepens U.S. Ties.” World Politics Review, 28 February.
• Tan, See Seng. 2012. “Seeking Regional Stability, Singapore Deepens U.S. Ties.” World Politics Review, 28 February.
• Tan, See Seng. 2011. “Competing Visions: EAS in the Regional Architecture Debate.” East Asia Forum, 15 November.
• Tan, See Seng. 2011. “Competing Visions: EAS in the Regional Architecture Debate.” East Asia Forum, 15 November.
• Tan, See Seng. 2011. “Conflicting Visions for a New Landscape.” The Straits Times, 12 November.
• Tan, See Seng. 2011. “Conflicting Visions for a New Landscape.” The Straits Times, 12 November.
• Tan, See Seng. 2011. “ASEAN Regional Forum at 18: Dealing with Regional Flashpoints.” East Asia Forum, 22 July.
• Tan, See Seng. 2011. “ASEAN Regional Forum at 18: Dealing with Regional Flashpoints.” East Asia Forum, 22 July.
• Tan, See Seng. 2010. “ARF: Ad hoc Regional Forum?” The Straits Times, 30 July.
• Tan, See Seng. 2010. “ARF: Ad hoc Regional Forum?” The Straits Times, 30 July.
• Tan, See Seng. 2009. “Confronting the Threat of Uncivil Society in Southeast Asia.” The Jakarta Post, 19 November.
• Tan, See Seng. 2009. “Confronting the Threat of Uncivil Society in Southeast Asia.” The Jakarta Post, 19 November.
• Tan, See Seng. 2007. “The Tao of Spider-Man: Lessons for Singapore Defence and Diplomacy.” The Online Citizen, 8 June.
• Tan, See Seng. 2007. “The Tao of Spider-Man: Lessons for Singapore Defence and Diplomacy.” The Online Citizen, 8 June.
• Tan, See Seng. 2006. “Saving Timor: Responsibility Belongs To All.” The Straits Times, 14 June.
• Tan, See Seng. 2006. “Saving Timor: Responsibility Belongs To All.” The Straits Times, 14 June.
• “The East Asia Summit: A 30-Point Agenda” (with Ralf Emmers), PacNet, No. 54, 9 December 2005
• “A 30-Point Agenda for the East Asia Summit” (with Ralf Emmers), The Jakarta Post, 6 December 2005
• “Some proposals for the East Asia Summit” (with Ralf Emmers), The Straits Times, 19 November 2005
• Tan, See Seng, and Joseph Liow Chin Yong. 2005. “Case for an East Asian Security Order.” The Straits Times, 1 March.
• Tan, See Seng, and Joseph Liow Chin Yong. 2005. “Case for an East Asian Security Order.” The Straits Times, 1 March.
• Tan, See Seng, and Joseph Liow Chin Yong. 2004. “A Step Back in China’s ‘Charm Offensive.’” The Straits Times, 22 July.
• Tan, See Seng, and Joseph Liow Chin Yong. 2004. “A Step Back in China’s ‘Charm Offensive.’” The Straits Times, 22 July.
• Tan, See Seng. 2003. “Stepping in to Calm the Pacific.” The Straits Times, 2 July.
• Tan, See Seng. 2003. “Stepping in to Calm the Pacific.” The Straits Times, 2 July.
• Tan, See Seng. 2002. “Déjà vu in Australia’s Reaction to Bali.” The Straits Times, 2 November.
• Tan, See Seng. 2002. “Déjà vu in Australia’s Reaction to Bali.” The Straits Times, 2 November.

• Speaker, Virtual Event on “Peace and Conflict Diplomacy in a Turbulent World”, organised by United States Institute of Peace, 10 June 2021
• Presenter, Virtual Conference on “Southeast Asia Views America: Perceptions, Policies & Prospects”, organised by New York Southeast Asia Network, 25 May 2021