A very good evaluation came also from Sorpong Peou who places Leifer in the field of foreign policy analysis, noting that Leifer has often explained the balancing behaviour of ASEAN through studying each state’s domestic sources of foreign policy rather than through “a system of relationships among states”.
The theoretical foundations of Amitav Acharya’s arguments greatly distinguish him from Leifer. Acharya’s arguments rests on two key notions: norms and collective identity. By “norms” Acharya means the ASEAN member states’ adoption of notions of non-interference, non-use of force, regional autonomy, avoidance of collective defense and the practice of the “ASEAN Way”, calling for consensus building, compromise, avoidance of legally binging obligations and of strict reciprocity. According to Acharya, ASEAN member states are “norm consistent” and in multiple occasions have already been abiding to the norms of non-interference and non-use of force.