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What Role Can Trust Play? Conflicts and Trust‐Building in East Asia
Author(s) -
Reinke de Buitrago Sybille
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
asian politics and policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.193
H-Index - 12
eISSN - 1943-0787
pISSN - 1943-0779
DOI - 10.1111/j.1943-0787.2009.01151.x
Subject(s) - relevance (law) , politics , action (physics) , perception , political science , public relations , east asia , social psychology , political economy , sociology , psychology , china , law , physics , quantum mechanics , neuroscience
The article explores the concept of trust and its relevance to conflicts and their solution. In conflicts, threat perceptions are a driving force for action. Trust fulfills a psychological need and acts as a stabilizer in human interaction. It is important in efforts of building a cooperative environment and peaceful relations as well as in situations of conflict. Different kinds of trust exist, but all involve some risk‐taking. Structural conditions and institutional mechanisms conducive to trust‐building, education for trust, and confidence‐building measures can reduce uncertainty and allow actors to trust one another more. The article applies the issue of trust to a case study of East Asia. The East Asian region is in great political movement with various potential and actual conflicts. The significant role that trust and trust‐building can play in reducing tension and fostering dialogue and cooperation in this region is elaborated.