Ear to Asia

Asia Institute, The University of Melbourne

On Ear to Asia, we talk with Asia experts to unpack the issues behind news headlines in a region that is rapidly changing the world. Ear to Asia is produced by Asia Institute, the Asia research specialists at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

  1. Aug 2

    Rethinking empire, extraction and identity in the Pacific: A New History

    The history of the Pacific Ocean is often told as a story of isolated islands like French Polynesia or Hawaii, or as a mere backdrop to European discovery. But what if it's a central maritime world—a network of interconnections and struggles spanning landlocked Bolivia, Banaba island in Kiribati, and Haizhou, China? How did networks of silver, nitrates, and phosphates fuse the destinies of tiny Pacific islands with continental powers? And why did some regions escape becoming economic hinterlands while others faced total ecological devastation? Asia Historian Dr Lewis Mayo from Asia Institute joins host Sami Shah to unravel the threads of the historical tapestry of this vast region. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

  2. Jul 13

    Principle or pragmatism in Indonesia’s foreign policy choices?

    For decades, Indonesia has defined its place in the world through "bebas dan aktif", meaning "free and active" — a foreign policy that's both independent and engaged, positioning itself as a bridge between major powers while avoiding formal alignment. But rising geopolitical tensions and intensifying competition in the Indo-Pacific are making that harder to sustain. Since taking office in October 2024, President Prabowo Subianto has brought a more personalised style to foreign policy, marked by frequent overseas visits and moves such as Indonesia's entry into BRICS. So, is Indonesia still practicing the cautious, consultative diplomacy it's long been known for, or adapting to a more contested environment? And how does it navigate relationships with China, the US, and others without compromising its commitment to non-alignment? Radityo Dharmaputra from Universitas Airlangga and Aristyo Darmawan from Universitas Indonesia, both experts in Indonesia's foreign policy, examine President Prabowo's impact on the nation's foreign policy. Hosted by Sami Shah. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

  3. Jun 22

    Citizens of nowhere: how climate change is creating a new generation of the stateless

    Climate change is increasingly more than an environmental crisis — its human dimension is fast becoming one of the defining legal and political challenges of our era. Tens of millions are already displaced by floods, droughts, and rising seas, while communities like the Torres Strait Islanders face not just the loss of land, but the severing of profound cultural and spiritual ties to place. For low-lying Pacific nations like Tuvalu, the very existence of their state may one day be reduced to legal records and collective memory. So how does international law grapple with nations that no longer have territory? And what stands between the global community's emerging recommendations to safeguard the right to nationality and the political will to implement them? Assoc Prof Radha Govil and Aashish Yadav, both statelessness researchers from the Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness at the Melbourne Law School, join host Sami Shah in exploring how climate change is pushing people into statelessness — and what can be done about it. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

  4. May 12

    Compound Capitalism: Inside Southeast Asia's Fraud Factories

    Across Southeast Asia, vast compounds have emerged as the nerve centers of large-scale online fraud, run by transnational crime syndicates with links to ethnic Chinese networks. Their targets are ordinary people across Asia and beyond, ensnared in scams that drain savings and devastate families. But inside the compound walls are trafficked workers — lured under false promises of legitimate employment, then held captive in conditions of digital servitude. So what is the true extent of this shadow economy? How have these scam compounds become embedded in local communities and cross-border networks? And as regional governments attempt crackdowns, what happens to the exploited workers once the compounds fall? Researchers into the intersection of organized crime and technology Dr Ivan Franceschini from Asia Institute and Ling Li from Ca' Foscari University of Venice join host Sami Shah to examine the reach and ramifications of Southeast Asia's scam compounds. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com. A recent book on the subject by Ivan Franceschini, Ling Li and Mark Bo: Scam: Inside Southeast Asia's Cybercrime Compounds, Verso, 2025.

  5. Feb 24

    How are rice farmers faring in the Philippines?

    Rice is more than a staple in the Philippines — it’s a measure of well-being and security. But decades of government policies built around industrial-scale production have struggled to deliver self-sufficiency in a country where rice farming is overwhelmingly smallholder-based. As farmers contend with debt, land insecurity, and environmental vulnerability, are current strategies fit for purpose? Or does the future of food security lie in approaches that start with the realities of small-scale farming? Dr Eric Gutierrez and Prof Wolfram Dressler, both social geography researchers from the University Melbourne, join host Sami Shah to examine the complex realities of rice farming in the Philippines. Prof Wolfram Dressler's recent book on the topic is For the Sake of Forests and Gods: Governing Life and Livelihood in the Philippine Uplands, Cornell University Press, 2025. https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501779268/for-the-sake-of-forests-and-gods/#bookTabs=1 An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

  6. 12/14/2025

    Can India maintain strategic autonomy in the Trump 2.0 era?

    While shared anxieties over China have brought India and the United States closer, President Donald Trump’s second-term tariffs and tougher immigration rules have injected fresh strain into the relationship. The pressure on New Delhi to curb Russian oil imports comes as Moscow itself deepens ties with Beijing, complicating India’s long-standing defence and energy partnerships. So where does this leave India’s quest for strategic autonomy? Can it still balance cooperation with the U.S., reliance on Russia, and cautious engagement with China? Or is that space rapidly closing? Political scientist Dr Pradeep Taneja from the University of Melbourne puts the India–US relationship under the microscope. Presented by Sami Shah. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

  7. 11/12/2025

    Indonesia under Prabowo—promises, protests, and power

    A year into his presidency, Prabowo Subianto stands at a pivotal moment in Indonesia’s political journey. Elected on promises of both continuity and change, his government has faced unrest in the streets, the dismissal of a long-serving finance minister, and questions over the strength of Indonesia’s democratic institutions. At the same time, Jakarta’s growing engagement with BRICS and its delicate balancing act between China and the United States are reshaping its global outlook. So, what does Prabowo’s first year reveal about Indonesia’s political direction? How resilient is its democracy under his leadership? And what kind of regional and global power is Indonesia seeking to become? Prof Tim Lindsey from Melbourne Law School and Dr Ian Wilson from Murdoch University join host Sami Shah to assess Prabowo’s first year in office, and its implications for Indonesia’s domestic politics and foreign policy. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

  8. 10/13/2025

    Navigating East Asian names in a Western world

    For many East Asians living in Western societies, the first challenge they face is their own name — mispronounced in classrooms, simplified in workplaces, or changed altogether to fit in. Behind these small acts lie deeper questions of identity, belonging, and cultural respect. How do naming traditions shaped by centuries of history meet the bureaucracies and biases of today’s West? And what does genuine respect look like in a globalised world — merely saying a name right, or something more? Professor Ikuko Nakane and Dr Lewis Mayo, both from the Asia Institute, join host Sami Shah to examine the question of what it means to negotiate anglophone societies with an East Asian name. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

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Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

On Ear to Asia, we talk with Asia experts to unpack the issues behind news headlines in a region that is rapidly changing the world. Ear to Asia is produced by Asia Institute, the Asia research specialists at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Information

  • Creator
    Asia Institute, The University of Melbourne
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    172
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Creative Commons BY-NC-SA
  • Show Website
    Ear to Asia

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