1. Limitations of Rationalist Approaches in Explaining ASEAN Epistemological Misinterpretation via Global Frameworks: Mainstream International Relations (IR) scholarship embedded within the rationalist paradigm—most notably Neoliberal Institutionalism—conventionally posits that institutional efficacy hinges upon advanced institutionalization, explicit legalization (binding regulatory frameworks), and supranational delegation, traditionally benchmarked against the European Union (EU) model. Contextual Rationality: Consequently, Western-centric analyses frequently dismiss ASEAN as structurally deficient or pathological. However, as Kasira Cheeppensook demonstrates, ASEAN does not exhibit irrationality; rather, it operates on a baseline of "practical and societal rationality." Institutional decision-making eschews rigid, codified mandates in favor of strategic elasticity, dynamically adjusting to the l...