Ear to Asia

India has been slipping down the league tables of democratic health recently, with concerns over persistent crackdowns on dissent by the Hindu nationalist-led government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Just how robust is the nation’s democracy? How does India reconcile its membership in coalitions of democracies, such as the Quad, with criticism at home over the erosion of religious and media fre...

In Japan, slender bodies are prized and body size is regarded as a personal responsibility. Meanwhile, Japan’s government views the trend of increasing average body weight as a public health problem. In this social milieu, how do those with non-conforming body sizes feel about themselves? How is Japan’s conception of body image changing? Gender studies researcher Assoc Professor Claire Maree and c...

China’s natural environment has paid a high price for the nation’s economic success. And despite the Chinese government’s aversion to collective action, there are NGOs working hard to save the environment. So how do NGOs operate in this milieu? How much of Beijing’s recent concern for the environment is owed to the actions of civil society? Human geographer Professor Mark Wang and political scient...

India’s caste system remains alive and thriving, both in India and in its global diaspora. Seven decades after the passing of laws to fight discrimination, caste continues to dictate who Indians can marry, their prospects for education and jobs, and even where they may live. Caste’s pernicious effects also extend to businesses, from Mumbai to Silicon Valley, holding sway over both individual caree...

For Australia, proficiency in the languages of its major Asian trading partners can yield important insights into what makes those societies and economies tick. But does Australia possess the linguistic skills for deep engagement with the region? And what will it take to get more Australians to take up Asian languages? Prof Melissa Crouch and Dr Lewis Mayo join presenter Ali Moore to examine the o...

China and Russia are now arguably closer than they've ever been, with rapidly growing military and economic cooperation. Will the strength of these ties herald the end of U.S. hegemony in the Western Pacific? And do the two authoritarian giants share a vision by which they can reshape the world? International relations experts Professor Elizabeth Wishnick and Dr Alexander Korolev take a deep dive...

Australia is finding itself increasingly torn between its largest trading partner, China, and its long-time ally, the United States. So, what is the value vs the cost of Australia’s alliance with the US? And what will it take to repair relations with China? International strategy expert Professor Michael Wesley examines this geopolitical triangle with presenter Ali Moore. An Asia Institute podcast...

Colonialism has often left diverse and mutually hostile ethnic groups trapped inside a common national border. In Asia, countries like Myanmar and Sri Lanka have played out their unresolved ethnic divisions in prolonged civil unrest and bloodshed. How can ethnically splintered nations find a way forward? Can federalism be utilised to ease conflict and promote stability? Asia governance experts Pro...

Afghanistan’s Taliban is poised to take the reins in Kabul with the looming withdrawal of US troops. Although dependent on Pakistan in the past, the Taliban are now more geopolitically savvy. So what influence would Islamabad have in a new Taliban-led Afghanistan? And what can the world expect from a Taliban 2.0 government? South Asia observers Assoc Prof Matthew Nelson and Dr Zahid Ahmed join Ali...

While traitors are despised in most societies, the preferred term in China, hànjiān, is not only highly charged but also takes on ethno-centric dimensions. So how has the Chinese concept of the traitor been put to political use by China’s post-dynastic governments? And what is regarded as treasonous behaviour in contemporary China? Dr Craig Smith and Dr Matthew Galway dive into the details with pr...

India is the world’s largest donor of COVID-19 vaccines despite having the world’s second highest caseload of coronavirus. What are India’s motivations for this bold move? Will India have enough vaccines for its 1.3+ billion people, and what does India’s apparent generosity say about the vaccine nationalism of the west? Political scientist Dr Pradeep Taneja and health policy researcher Dr Azad Bal...

How do people at the intersection of LGBTQIA+ and Asian ethnicity fare when migrating to Australia, why do they choose to make their lives here, and what challenges do they face as they seek genuine inclusion? Associate Prof Claire Maree and Dr Jay Song, both of Asia Institute, examine their lived experiences and life challenges. Presented by Ali Moore. An Asia Institute podcast . Produced and edi...

While the majority of the 650,000+ China-born people living in Australia are here permanently, most choose to forgo Australian citizenship. So how do members of Australia’s mainland Chinese community view themselves, and how are they viewed by others -- particularly now that the relationship between Canberra and Beijing is at an ebb? Asia Institute researchers Dr Sow Keat Tok and Dr Qiuping Pan ex...

Although Mandarin is the national language of China, it remains incomprehensible to 20% of the population. Beijing is now pushing the use of Mandarin hard among ethnic minorities, but while fluency in the common tongue brings economic benefits, what is the cost to the native languages and identities of those affected? Dr Lewis Mayo and Dr Gerald Roche discuss the state of play for languages in Chi...

China has been punishing Australia via trade sanctions and social media for actions taken by Australia’s government that Beijing regards as part of a US-led strategy to contain its rise. How is Australia to balance its loyalty to its longtime ally, the United States, with the demands of its biggest economic partner, the ascendant China? Former Australian ambassador to China, Dr Geoff Raby, examine...

While Indonesia’s new, so-called Job Creation Law was sold to the public as essential to boosting employment by reducing red tape, it has sparked continued outrage among workers, trade unionists, environmentalists and religious organisations. What are the concerns over how this omnibus law was passed, and who are the real winners and losers? Indonesia observers Prof Tim Lindsey and Dr Ian Wilson s...

Many citizens of Hong Kong fear the recently imposed National Security Law is only the latest move by Beijing to wind back civil liberties promised to last till 2047. But what does China’s growing impatience mean for Hong Kongers? How will these changes affect business in the bustling metropolis? China watchers Dr Sow Keat Tok and Dr Kevin Carrico discuss the impact of this far reaching law with p...

The constitutions of both Pakistan and Malaysia enshrine Islam as the state religion while also protecting individuals’ rights to freedom of worship. So how do their seemingly parallel legal systems of common law and Sharia jurisprudence operate when it comes to matters of Muslim identity? Dr Matthew Nelson from Asia Institute and Dr Dian Shah from the National University of Singapore Law School e...

India and China have been at odds over their common border for over a century, and this year’s deadly military skirmishes are further dashing hopes of a resolution. So why are there such high stakes over barren terrain high in the Himalayas? What would it take to dissolve the intransigence on both sides? Political scientist Dr Pradeep Taneja and security analyst Assoc Prof Jingdong Yuan examine th...

Turkey is increasingly intervening militarily in the territories of several of its Middle East neighbours, while relations with other regional players are souring. This is in stark contrast to their “zero problems with neighbouring countries” strategy of only a decade ago. Turkish affairs analysts Dr Tezcan Gümüş and Iain MacGillivray discuss Turkey’s motives in its new foreign policy direction, a...

For Vietnamese hunting economic opportunities abroad, it turns out Russia is a popular choice. Entering on short stay visas and overstaying sometimes for decades, they typically find work in urban market complexes, and in some cases resort to illegal activities to make ends meet. So what draws the Vietnamese to Russia? What are their day-to-day lives like? And given their insecure immigration stat...

In Asia as elsewhere, whom statues commemorate and whom they overlook comes down to power and politics. And while the early post-colonial period was the heyday of statue building in the newly minted countries of Asia, the practice is alive and well today with ever larger and more expensive statues being erected. Asia historians Dr Ruth Gamble and Dr Lewis Mayo join host Ali Moore to ponder the com...

Despite its roots in China, Mao Zedong’s theories of class struggle and violent revolution spread around the globe in the second half of the twentieth century, igniting armed uprisings in its wake. Asia historian Dr Matthew Galway and Latin American cultural studies researcher Dr Carlos Amador examine the appeal and impact of Maoism outside of China. With host Peter Clarke. An Asia Institute podca...

In Indonesia, pollution from plastics is reaching crisis levels, with the fabled beaches of Bali now strewn with discarded plastics, while on Java the army is called out to unclog rivers from “icebergs” of plastic. How did Indonesia get into this predicament, and who will clean up the mess? Indonesian rock star and environmental activist Gede Robi, and development expert Ewa Wojkowska, shed light...

Despite an initial flirt with pandemic denialism, Turkey may well be able to take some pride in its handling of the Covid-19 crisis. Yet, coronavirus continues to impose a huge cost on a nation already grappling with faltering economic growth, deepening existing political and social divides. With us to examine the myriad impacts of Covid-19 on Turkey are Monash University politics and internationa...