Stuart Brown, London School of Economics and Political Science
Hard Evidence is a series of articles that looks at some of the trickiest public policy questions we face. Academic experts delve into available research evidence to provide informed analysis you won’t…
Australia enjoys a privileged relationship with most economies in the Asian region because of the integrated global value chain.
Image sourced from www.shutterstock.com
Australia is facing increasingly stiff competition from developed economies all vying for a share of the growth pie in the East and South Asian region, where Australia has integrated its value chain activities…
Campaign posters for husband and wife team, Jack and Sally Enrile, in the recent Filipino elections. What does the experience of Asia’s longes serving democracy teach us about modern elections?
Adele Webb
For the average person schooled the the Western sense of an election, democracy in action in other parts of the world can be challenging, if not confronting. Driving into the town, past the carabaos cooling…
Nawaz Sharif has been elected for his third non-consecutive term as Pakistan’s prime minister.
EPA/T. Mughal
The newly-elected Pakistani government of Nawaz Sharif is set to enact policies – most notably negotiating with the Pakistani wing of the Taliban – that will forever alter the dynamics of this strategically…
Despite predictions of a close election, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak celebrates with senior party members after their ruling party managed to retain power.
EPA/Shamshahrin Shamsudin
In Malaysia, disgruntlement and promise of change tends to result in the retention of the status quo. Enthusiastic reformers (pretenders or otherwise) are noisier rather than effective. Voters, at the…
The Pakatan Rakyat coalition leader Anwar Ibrahim will need to form ties within Malaysia’s diverse and biased electorate system to defeat the ruling coalition in Sunday’s election.
EPA/Shamshahrin Shamsudin
Malaysia’s general elections on Sunday (GE13) will be a battle of the coalitions, pitting the world’s most successful ruling coalition – the 13 party Barisan Nasional (BN/National Front) - against the…
The imprisonment of journalists and human rights activists under the crime of ‘lese-majeste’ laws in Asia should be a cause for concern in the new Asian century.
710928003_Flickr
What is the role of the criminal law? In parts of modern day Asia, the criminal law has had another, more troubling, purpose in addition to convicting murders and rapists: protecting those in authority…
Kim Jong-un’s threats against South Korea and the US have become more dramatic.
EPA/Yonhap News Agency
Western commentators seem generally mesmerised by North Korea’s quixotic behaviour. The country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, is described as “delusional”, “fruitcake”, “reckless”, and the actions of North Korea’s…
The language of cooperation might just be a cordial façade.
AAP/Office of the Prime Minister
As expected, the dispute over the South China Sea was the most contentious issue at this week’s ASEAN meeting and East Asia Summit. Multilateral dialogue was tense, and ASEAN member states disagreed on…
US President Barack Obama meets with his soon to be Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping earlier this year.
EPA/Martin H. Simon
CHINA IN TRANSITION: As China goes through its secretive but widely anticipated leadership transition, the rest of the world is watching. This week, The Conversation takes an in depth look at the National…
Delegates at the 18th China Communist Party Congress listen to outgoing president Hu Jintao’s address.
EPA/How Hwee Young
CHINA IN TRANSITION: As China goes through its secretive but widely anticipated leadership transition, the rest of the world is watching. This week, The Conversation takes an in depth look at the National…
The white paper sets high standards for Australian universities in the Asian Century.
AAP/Paul Miller
In the slip-stream of the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper, released by Julia Gillard yesterday, there is a one-off opportunity to evolve new programs, open up and engage in Asia at scale. Many…
The Gillard government has a long road ahead of it to enact the recommendations of the Asian Century White Paper.
AAP/Paul Miller
Ken Henry’s team has provided a detailed and useful blueprint for future action in the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper. But the government will need to ramp up its domestic efforts to improve…
Universities play a vital role in creating a better understanding of Asia – if it is included broadly in curricula.
AAP Image/Julian Smith
Ahead of the soon-to-be-released Asian Century White Paper, Foreign Minister Bob Carr has said Australia needs to “know Asia” in order to prosper. Delivering a speech to the Asia Society on behalf of Prime…
Looking to Asian schools is exactly what we shouldn’t be doing.
Chalkboard image www.shutterstock.com
It was fun while it lasted Finland, but we’re going cold on you. We thought your schools had the secret but our new infatuation is with Asian school systems. The Prime Minister seems to agree. The government…
Did our Asian story just get more complicated? It seems so. An article published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Fabrice Demeter and co-workers describes a new modern…
Harvest time: Asia’s rising incomes and demand for food are no guarantee of a mining-style payday for Australian farmers.
AAP/EPA/Raminder Pal Singh
In recent weeks Australia’s PM, a shadow minister, and a state premier have heralded the opportunities for Australian farmers to capitalise on a global food-shortage and, in particular, rising demand for…
We should not be looking to East Asia as a model for our education system.
EPA/Vincent Jannink
Results from the Chinese university entrance exam, the Gaokao, were released last week. For students, it’s the long culmination of years focusing on tests and learning by rote. Again and again, East Asian…
Australia has to take the initiative if we want to build a relationship with Asia based on the arts.
AAP
WHAT IS AUSTRALIA FOR? Australia is no longer small, remote or isolated. It’s time to ask What Is Australia For?, and to acknowledge the wealth of resources we have beyond mining. Over the next two weeks…