ALSA 2025 meeting

Drawing on examples from the recent past in East and Southeast Asia, this paper examines the interaction between politics, populism, and policy making in relation to state-sanctioned killings for drug offences. It also looks to other parts of the globe to consider how successful advocacy practices can be imported to reform and reshape the use of the death penalty for drug offences in East and Southeast Asia. Theoretically, the paper considers the role of norm diffusion, the importance of cultural context, the potential of hard power diplomacy and coalition theory in catalysing behavioural change. Illustrative case studies which demonstrate effective approaches in successful advocacy against the death penalty for drug offences, alongside a critical consideration of practices shown to be less successful in advocating change are explored.