Ear to Asia Podcast
1) 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-s...Show More
2) 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 relati...Show More
3) 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 stre...Show More
4) 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...Show More
5) Profit, Politics, and the Future of Indonesia's Rainforests
Indonesia’s 17,000-plus islands boast the world’s third-largest tropical rainforest, home to endangered species and Indigenous communities, and a vital shield against climate change. Yet in 2024, the ...Show More
6) How governments in Asia juggle the pros and cons of AI
Governments across Asia are confronting a new kind of policy challenge — one that’s moving faster than most have ever had to legislate for. The astonishing speed of generative AI development has promp...Show More
7) How Chinese international students navigate their experience in Australia
Despite all the talk of trade wars and other tensions, China remains the largest source of international students worldwide. In Australia alone, there are over 125,000 China nationals attending higher...Show More
8) Can ethnic minority languages co-exist with Mandarin in China?
While Mandarin has long been China's official language, recent policies have accelerated its dominance — often at the expense of minority languages. Despite constitutional protections, a 2020 legislat...Show More
9) The risks and rewards of engaging with Afghanistan's Taliban government
Afghanistan’s Taliban government has been busy appointing ambassadors, courting foreign investment, and participating in global forums, all with the aim of winning international recognition and standi...Show More
10) Why Central Asia is key to unlocking China's global ambitions
China's growing influence in Central Asia marks a strategic pivot in its bid to challenge a global order still largely led by the US. Through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Shanghai Cooper...Show More