Asia Rising

Many countries struggle with gender inequality, but in Japan the problem is pronounced. The gender pay gap is at 22%, and women face a number of related issues, including precarious and subordinate positions in the labour market, and the sexual exploitation in the entertainment industry. Voices from the Contemporary Japanese Feminist Movement by Emma Dalton and Caroline Norma (Palgrave Macmillan,...

Tibet and the Tibetan Plateau are well-known as the home of an important religious and philosophical tradition, Tibetan Buddhism. However, we tend to pay less attention to the lived experiences and llfeways of the Indigenous peoples who live with this singular environment and their achievements and challenges. So how does the state education address Indigenous knowledge and that which the people g...

There are dozens of minority languages spoken in Tibet, but that number is currently collapsing under assimilatory state policies. An increasing number of families in these communities are now passing on Tibetan or Chinese, in the hope of accessing better opportunities in education and employment. What are the systems at work that restrict and devalue minority languages in Tibet? How can global ad...

Donald Trump has won the 2024 Unites States election. So what will his return to the White House mean for the Asian region? Guest: Professor Bec Strating (Director, La Trobe Asia) Recorded on 11th November, 2024.

What does "Indigeneity" mean in Asia? For many in these communities, an Indigenous identity can represent a way to strengthen community identities, encourage language and cultural flourishing, highlight their ancestral relationships to land and water, and push back against large states’ attempts to minoritise them. What are the benefits and challenges of using the term in Asia? What does the grass...

After more than 70 years of Chinese rule, much has changed in Tibet, and one notable decline is that of language diversity. There are currently around sixty minority languages spoken in Tibet, in some cases by just a few thousand people, but that number is collapsing under assimilatory state policies. Book: The Politics of Language Oppression in Tibet by Gerald Roche, published by Cornell Universi...

The Ganges River, a lifeline for millions and one of the most significant and sacred rivers in the world, faces a multitude of seemingly intractable environmental challenges. One of the most innovative ways of both researching and shifting attitudes on the Ganges is through Citizen Science, bringing scientists and communities together to learn more about the world around them. Guests: Dr Prem Kuru...

For centuries the western world has enjoyed an outsized global influence, but is that time coming to an end? In demographic, economic, military and cultural terms, we are hurtling into a far more diverse global future. Guest: Dr Samir Putri (Former UK diplomat, visiting lecturer at the Department of War Studies at the Kings College London) Samir's book: Westlessness: The Great Global Rebalancing R...

Large numbers of people in Southeast Asia seek opportunities to improve their lives either within or outside their home country. While there are many positive benefits, the risk of exploitation is high. Many find themselves deceived or coerced into situations where they are abused and forced to live and work in poor conditions with little or no pay. Some are forced into sex work or marriages again...

The West has always had an outsized influence in the world, but what if this trend is changing? The post cold-war era U.S. and European countries, which represent the foundational pillars of the Western system, have seen their power diminish. Shifts in demographics, economics, military, and cultural terms are indicating a more diverse global future. Wealth is moving from the West to the East, and...

In recent years Australia has drawn closer to many of its Asia-Pacific neighbours, but when push comes to shove, it continues to look well beyond the oceans and regions that surround it to the distant horizons of Europe and North America for its ultimate security guarantee'. But is there another way Australia should understand its strategic challenges and find lasting security? Girt by Sea: Re-Ima...

The catastrophic attacks of 9/11 led to successful US-led military effort to overthrow the Taliban regime and dismantle al-Qaeda’s terrorism training camps in Afghanistan. Britain took the lead in creating the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to stabilise the country and support the new government. Why did the ISAF mission fail, and what are the wider lessons from the Afghanistan war...

On September 15 2021 Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the agreement of both the US and the UK to supply Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. Following its election in 2022 the government of Anthony Albanese made clear that that AUKUS was supported by Labor. Is there now any significant difference between the defence policies of the Coalition and Labor? What exactly are the motives of...

Taiwan recently saw a peaceful transition of power with the inauguration of President Lai Ching-Te, who was elected to office in January. President Lai’s election continues the pro-democracy stance of Taiwan, and in his inaugural speech he called on neighbouring China to cease its acts of intimidation and to “choose dialogue over confrontation.” China responded by holding a simulated blockade of T...

The world’s largest display of democracy has just taken place, with close to a billion people eligible to vote in an election across 44 days. Narendra Modi has been sworn in for a rare third term as India’s Prime Minister, after emerging victorious in a tough election with a slim majority. His party, the BJP, had hoped for a landslide victory, but needed to rely on a coalition to gain power. Guest...

More than a billion people across Asia have voted so far in 2024, in elections in India, Indonesia, South Korea, Taiwan and more, but outside of the main results the electoral processes and implications for democracy rarely attracted international headlines. While voting is a key expression of democratic participation, during elections democratic ideals can be challenged. Many of these elections w...

There’s a theory that’s discussed in many circles of international relations: have we reached peak China? In a post-pandemic age in which it is struggling with development, confronted with an aging population, and a slowing economy, is China on the decline? Guest: Professor Evan Medeiros (Penner Family Chair in Asian Studies, Georgetown University) Recorded 28th May, 2024.

Slavery remains a problem in many countries across Asia, and the understanding of what makes a person vulnerable to this kind of exploitation continues to evolve. When it comes to disability, the links are less understood, and more research is needed to understand the barriers survivors with disabilities face when accessing remedies, justice and support. The report: Exploring the intersection betw...

Australia has drawn closer to many of its Asia-Pacific neighbours in recent years, but 'when push comes to shove, it continues to look well beyond the oceans and regions that surround it to the distant horizons of Europe and North America for its ultimate security guarantee'. In Girt by Sea, international-relations experts Rebecca Strating and Joanne Wallis instead turn their gazes to Australia's...

In 2004 Indonesia enacted the Anti-Domestic Violence Law in what has been widely acknowledged as a progressive move, and a major achievement for the women’s rights groups who advocated for it. Despite the law being in effect for 20 years, domestic violence in Indonesia remains a persistent issue. Guest: Dr Balawyn Jones (Lecturer and Bendigo Law Convenor, La Trobe Law School, La Trobe University)....

In 2021 a new alliance between the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom was announced. Dubbed the AUKUS agreement, the centrepiece of the plan was for the United States to build Australia new nuclear submarines, to replace its aging fleet. Now almost three years later, the plan has evolved, and with it, inevitably has the budget expectations and the criticisms. Guest: Professor Peter De...

Oceans are an important resource for every country and are essential for travel and trade, but there are several critical issues facing maritime order in Asia. A lack of a shared vision, differing interpretations of maritime order, and cooperation over security issues all create friction for use of shared waterways across Asia, which makes fair and equitable access vital. How can Asian states and...

North Korea is an isolated and secretive country, long restricted by sanctions, and getting an accurate picture of its economy can be a challenge. So what can we know about its economic condition? Guest: Dr Chiew Ping Hoo (Senior Fellow, East Asia and International Relations (EAIR) Caucus, Malaysia) Recorded 6th March, 2024.

Indonesia has had a national election, and the likely next president is Prabowo Subianto, a leader with a checkered past. Prabowo served as Jokowi’s defense minister and gained his backing for this election, even naming Jokowi’s son as his VP running mate. Given his background, there are many who are carefully watching the decisions he will make in foreign affairs. Guest: Dr Lina Alexandra (Head o...

La Trobe Asia is proud to partner with the Australian Government to deliver the 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit: Maritime Cooperation Forum. The Forum will address the Blue Economy and maritime cooperation, as well as perspectives on regional maritime challenges and opportunities. This special keynote address is delivered by Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australia,...