Asia Rising

Since the fall of President Suharto’s new order regime in 1998, culture has exploded in Indonesia, and nowhere is this more evident than in the media. With increases in media providers comes increases in diversity of media forums and media content. With such an increasing in offering comes an altering of the public discourse that can further change democracy and modernity. Professor Ariel Heryanto (Herb Feith Professor for the Study of Indonesia at Monash University) speaks to Matt Smith about the politics and development of Indonesian screen culture. Follow Ariel Heryanto on Twitter: @ariel_heryanto Follow La Trobe Asia on Twitter: @latrobeasia

Australia is a country that depends on investment, and normally we can't welcome it enough. But money coming from China is different, can be at odds with strategic interests, and can cause considerable tension. Professor Nick Bisley (Executive Director of La Trobe Asia) is joined by Hannah Bretherton (Project Coordinator and Researcher at China Matters) to discuss the issues and challenges associated with Chinese investment in Australia. Follow Hannah Bretherton on Twitter: @hcbretherton Follow Nick Bisley on Twitter: @nickbisley

In Fear of Abandonment, expert and insider Allan Gyngell tells the story of how Australia has shaped the world and been shaped by it since it established an independent foreign policy during the dangerous days of 1942. Gyngell argues that the fear of being abandoned – originally by Britain, and later by our most powerful ally, the United States – has been an important driver of how Australia acts in the world. Allan Gyngell was foreign policy adviser to Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating and worked as a diplomat, policy officer and analyst in several government departments. Featuring Fairfax senior correspondent Daniel Flitton in conversation with the author.

Colin Mackerras is a world authority on Chinese culture and society, and he has taught in China since the 1960s, where he was a witness to the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. He joins Dr Yangbin Chen (Chinese Program, Languages and Linguistics, La Trobe University) in this interview.

India has been described as a country of potential, but hiding behind that hopeful term are a few powerful statistics. By 2022 it is projected to surpass China to become the most populated country in the world, and currently around 50% of India's people are below the age of 24. Professor Craig Jeffrey (Director, Australia India Institute) speaks to Matt Smith about the challenges presented with youth in India, and whether it's a demographic dividend or a disaster. Follow Craig Jeffrey on Twitter: @CraigJeffreyaii Follow La Trobe Asia on Twitter: @latrobeasia

It's no exaggeration that the election of Donald Trump was a shock to the system, and this was no more so than in the Asian region. During his election campaign Trump was abrasive and antagonistic towards many Asian countries, in particular China. Dr Ashley Townshend (Research Fellow, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney) talks to Professor Nick Bisley (Executive Director of La Trobe Asia) about Trump's 'America First' approach and what it means for Asia. Follow Ashley Townshend on Twitter: @ashleytownshend Follow Nick Bisley on Twitter: @nickbisley

Many countries have a problem when it comes to gender equality, but in Japan it's quite pronounced. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he wants to put more women to work to help make up for the country's shrinking population, but there is little evidence of serious progress in what has been dubbed ‘womenomics'. Of particular note, Japan has the lowest percentage of women’s political representation in the industrialised world. Dr Emma Dalton (Japanese Lecturer in Global and Language Studies in the School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT) speaks to Matt Smith about why the glass ceiling is so hard to crack in Japan. Follow Emma Dalton on Twitter: @EmmaDal1977 Follow Matt Smith on Twitter: @nightlightguy

The opening years of the 21st century seemed to herald the start of a new era. On the back of China's remarkable economic revitalisation, India's reforms, as well as the ongoing growth in South Korea, Taiwan, and ASEAN economies, many argued that the new century belonged to Asia. Is that still the case, or has the gloss come off the Asian century? Andrew Leigh (Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Federal Member for Fenner, Australia) talks to Professor Nick Bisley (Executive Director of La Trobe Asia) about whether the concept still applies and what Asia's development will mean for Australia. Follow Andrew Leigh on Twitter: @ALeighMP Follow Nick Bisley on Twitter: @NickBisley Subscribe to Andrew Leigh's podcast: The Good Life

In 2014 the UN's commission of inquiry into human rights in North Korea published a report detailing human rights abuses committed by the country's leadership against its own people. They compared the scale of the abuse to the atrocities committed by the Nazis. Dr Danielle Chubb, (lecturer in International Relations at Deakin University) talks to Matt Smith about the response to the report and human rights issues in North Korea.

In 1964 the Communist Party of China released a collection of Mao’s speeches and statements titled ‘Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-Tung’. Small, easily carried, and bound in bright red colours it became commonly known as the Little Red Book, and went on to become the most important tool of propaganda during the cultural revolution. Associate Professor James Leibold (Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University) talks to Matt Smith about the power of Mao's book and how to spot a real one.

A sound foreign policy is crucial to the success and safety of any country, and governments are grappling with different ideals and agendas to maintain relationships in the current changing global environment. Allan Gyngell (Adjunct Professor of Public Policy at the Australian National University, director of the Crawford Australia Leadership Forum) joins Matt Smith to discuss Australia's Foreign Policy and reflect on its interactions with Asia.

State intervention in natural resource management is often inflexible, but projects in the Kangra District of India have found better success by involving the local communities. Dr Harry Fischer (Associate Lecturer in the Department of Social Inquiry at La Trobe University and a New Generation Network Fellow at the Australian India Institute) speaks about natural resource management in Himachal Pradesh, particularly the water canal 'kuhl' system.

Thailand has reached a period of political change. The recent death of the long-serving monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and the crowning of his son Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn have rocked a country still seeing fallout of a 2014 military coup. Dr Greg Raymond (Research Fellow at the Strategic & Defence Studies Centre at the Australian National University) talks to Matt Smith about the way forward for Thailand.

China is home to 1.5 billion people, many of them living in industrialised cities, and with that comes a heavy burden of medical problems. Martin Taylor (Team Leader, Health Systems and Health Security, World Health Organization, Beijing) discusses the good and the bad in China's health.

The study of Australia is well-established in China, and the active engagement across universities helps build cultural, social and economic understanding between the two countries. Professor David Walker (Chair of Australian Studies at Deakin University) talks to Matt Smith about Chinese understanding of Australia, and the healthy network of Australian studies.

Donald Trump will be the next President of the United States. While America, the world, and the Donald comes to terms with this unexpected result, the question is inevitably asked… what happens next? Professor Nick Bisley (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) and Dr Kumuda Simpson (International Relations, La Trobe University) speak to Matt Smith about the international reaction to a Trump presidency.

Media in Australia and much of the western world are facing pressing times with shrinking revenue and a changing landscape, but how much of these trends coming across in the Chinese press? Lisa Murray (China Correspondent, Australian Financial Review) talks to Matt Smith about the media landscape in China and her experiences as a foreign correspondent.

The 2016 United States election is almost upon us, and much of the rhetoric has focused on countries in Asia. Hilary Clinton has made references to 'standing up to bullies', with Donald Trump going several steps further in his comments about China. Professor Nick Bisley (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) speaks to Matt Smith about what Clinton or Trump could mean in Asia, and how regional security and economic stability hangs in the balance.

China and Australia have a long relationship anchored by strong trade bonds, yet this relationship isn’t without tension. The two countries often find themselves on different sides of the table when it comes to broader bilateral ties, and issues such as disagreements over foreign investment and the position and interests of allied countries threaten to prevent any meaningful co-operation or interaction. Professor Hou Minyue (Deputy Director, of the Australian Studies Centre, at East China Normal University in Shanghai) speaks to Matt Smith about the Australia-China relationship.

The cow is a sacred animal in India with nearly 80% of its Hindu population abstaining from eating beef and worshiping the animal for its production of milk. Surprisingly enough, the country has become the world's largest exporter of beef products, exporting more than 2 million tonnes a year and consuming just as much. Why is India selling the sacred cow? Dr Yamini Narayanan (DECRA Senior Fellow at the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation at Deakin University) talks to Matt Smith about this clash of ideals which have become a topic of controversy, corruption and murder in India.