Media
A failure of execution
Despite lacking a coherent pandemic strategy, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is tightening his grip The Philippines ranks among the world’s most disaster-prone nations, all too often suffering...
Populism and the Australian election: what could fringe voters deliver to our parliament?
BY PAUL KENNY With populists in control of the world’s most populous democracies, not least the United States, a question on the mind of many is what effect populism might have on this month’s...
Indonesian democracy: from stagnation to regression?
BY EVE WARBURTON AND EDWARD ASPINALL For much of the past decade, observers have praised Indonesian democracy. Elections have been competitive, the country boasts a vibrant civil society, and the...
Should Shinzo Abe happen to meet Kim Jong-un
BY DR LAUREN RICHARDSON If Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe does not come to the table with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and attempt to resolve the abduction problem once again, he will likely become...
Mahathir Mohamad crops up again in bid to lead Malaysia – with Anwar on the same side
BY DR AMRITA MALHI On January 8, former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad announced his intention to contest the next general election, due sometime before August this year. In an...
Simplistic views of Indonesian Islam are limiting Australian diplomacy
A recent survey asked Australians to select words that best represent Indonesia. By far the most popular word was ‘religious’ (68 per cent), which subsequent focus group discussions revealed mainly...
CSIRO cooperation with Chinese defence contractor should raise questions
In April 2017 a joint centre for advanced science and technology research was launched at the University of Technology, Sydney. The partner and funder is the China Electronics Group Corporation (CETC...
Thailand’s constitutional dispossession
On 6 April 2017, Thailand’s 20th constitution came into force, replacing a temporary constitution that was handed down in the wake of the country’s most recent coup almost three years earlier. The...
A professor detained for his thoughts
Article originally written by Yukti Mukdawijitra. Note: On 29 April, a university professor was arrested as part of a sweep of six individuals accused of committing lèse majesté by posting to...
Querying Martial Law in Mindanao
Even by Philippine standards, the past week has been a tumultuous one. Militants linked to Islamic State fought security forces in the Islamic City of Marawi, President Duterte cut short a state...