SSEAC Newsletter
June 2022 edition
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Welcome to the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre's Newsletter.
Featuring some of our current research projects, education initiatives, development programs, news, and past and upcoming events.
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Politics in Action 2022
Our annual Politics in Action forum was back in person in 2022, with an exciting line-up of speakers covering recent developments in Southeast Asia. It was great to see a mix of students, staff, researchers and others at the event, as well as a healthy online audience. This year’s one-day forum, held on 6 May, focused on six Southeast Asian countries: Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. Designed to be concise, speakers’ presentations were packed with information and analysis, and prompted engaging questions from the audience.
- Dr Azmil Tayeb (Universiti Sains Malaysia) covered recent political developments in Malaysia, including the return of ethnoreligious political parties, the future of coalition politics and what might happen ahead of a looming general election.
- Professor Michael Leach (Swinburne University) had just returned from Timor-Leste, where Jose Ramos-Horta was recently elected president for a second time. Professor Leach spoke about the implications of the election—including an intriguing snippet about the political influence of martial arts groups—the powers of the president and major governance challenges.
- Polls were also a focus of the Philippines update, presented by Assistant Professor Maria Elize H. Mendoza (University of the Philippines Diliman). Assistant Professor Mendoza previewed the country’s election (since won convincingly by Ferdinand Marcos Jr.) and also spoke about the incumbent government’s pandemic response, corruption and human rights issues.
- Dr Andrea Haefner (Griffith University) covered Laos, with a focus on the economy, including concerns over growing public debt, slowing economic growth and the influential role of China. Dr Haefner also discussed hydropower dam projects in Laos, and the country’s ambition to becoming the “battery of Asia.
- The Vietnam update was presented by PhD candidate Nguyen Khac Giang (Victoria University), who explored recent changes in political leadership, the “blazing furnace” anti-corruption campaign, Vietnam’s “aspiring, yet hesitant” ambition to be a regional middle-power, and relations with China, Russia and the US.
- The afternoon was rounded off by Dr Ken Setiawan (University of Melbourne), who provided the Indonesia update. Dr Setiawan discussed democratic deficits in Indonesia, human rights issues and increased securitisation in Papua, curbs on freedom of expression, gender equality and gender-based violence.
If you missed it, watch the speakers’ presentations on the SSEAC website, our YouTube channel or Facebook page.
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Addressing antimicrobial resistance in the region
Congratulations to the research team led by Dr Justin Beardsley, who have received an Australian-ASEAN Council Grant to establish a network of One Health laboratories and researchers in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam to address the significant issue of antimicrobial resistance. The project aims to promote health security by strengthening surveillance and research capacity in the region. It includes a multidisciplinary team from the Sydney Institute of Infectious Diseases, the School of Veterinary Science, the School of Life and Environmental Sciences, and the Office for Global Health.
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Exploring the underwater cultural heritage of the Maritime Silk Route
Congratulations to Dr Natali Pearson who is part of a team of researchers, led by Flinders University, awarded an ARC Linkage Project grant to examine the cultural value of Southeast Asian ceramic collections in Indonesia and Australia connected to the Maritime Silk Route. The project aims to generate new knowledge about this decisive epoch that began in the 15th Century, and build capacity to preserve the underwater cultural heritage of the region.
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Treating tuberculosis
Congratulations to Professor Greg Fox of the Sydney Vietnam Centre and Sydney Medical School who has been awarded $4.77 million for a study into the effectiveness of a fluoroquinolone-based regimen to treat the most common form of drug-resistant tuberculosis. The FLIRT – TB study will evaluate the effectiveness of the regimen to address a critical gap in treatment in 54 clinics in Australia, Vietnam, and Canada.
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New President of the Indonesia Council
More great news to share: Dr Natali Pearson has been appointed to the role of President of the Indonesia Council, the professional association for teachers and researchers of Indonesia in Australia. The council supports the study of Indonesia within higher education in Australia. Follow their work through their website, Twitter and Facebook.
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New book: In the Shadow of the Palms
Dr Sophie Chao has a new book due out this month, In the Shadow of the Palms (Duke University Press 2022), which examines the multispecies entanglements of oil palm plantations in West Papua, Indonesia. Dr Chao traces how Indigenous Marind communities understand and navigate the social, political, and environmental demands of the oil palm plant. Situating the plant and the transformations it has brought within the context of West Papua’s volatile history of colonization, ethnic domination, and capitalist incursion, Chao traces how Marind attribute environmental destruction not just to humans, technologies, and capitalism but also to the volition and actions of the oil palm plant itself. You can watch a trailer for the book here.
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'Thrive by Five' app launched in Indonesia
In March, the University of Sydney and Minderoo Foundation launched the ‘Thrive by Five’ app for parents and caregivers of children, starting in Indonesia. The parenting program aims to rollout across 30 countries, and includes an app in local languages with tailored content led by the Brain and Mind Centre. SSEAC’s Director Michele Ford was also part of the university’s multidisciplinary team. The app includes around 100 parenting activities and information, with text, audio and illustrations. Find out more here.
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The Reid Prize
Dr Melvin's book, The Army and the Indonesian Genocide (Routledge 2018), explored the 1965-66 mass killings in Indonesia, using the army's own records of these events. Professor Pols' book, Nurturing Indonesia: Medicine and Decolonisation in the Dutch East Indies (Cambridge University Press 2018), proposed a new perspective on the history of colonial medicine from the viewpoint of indigenous physicians. The prize was won by co-authors Professor Assa Doron (ANU) and Emeritus Professor Robin Jeffrey (La Trobe University/ANU) for the book Waste of a Nation: Garbage and Growth in India (Harvard University Press 2018).
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More promotions!
Congratulations to new SSEAC member Dr Anne Mai-Prochnow in the Faculty of Engineering who was recently promoted to Senior Lecturer. If you are a SSEAC member who received an academic promotion in 2021, and we missed you in the previous newsletter, let us know!
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Examining agricultural drivers of conflict in Southeast Asia
New research being led by SSEAC members Dr David Ubilava and Professor Justin Hastings aims to shed light on the agricultural causes of conflict in Southeast Asia, including the role of food availability and price fluctuations. In doing so, the project will enable policymakers to better direct resources and optimise their decision-making to avoid conflict before it begins.
“Southeast Asian countries often see high levels of social unrest with plausible links to the food and agricultural sector,” said Dr Ubilava, a Senior Lecturer in the School of Economics, who has worked extensively on commodity markets and climate shocks.
"In the Philippines alone, since 2016 there have been more than 10,000 such reported incidents, as per the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, that involved an armed altercation or violence of some sort. There is a potential that the political violence relates to harvest-related income, and is amplified in response to global price shocks.”
The project, ‘Agricultural Windfalls and Conflict in Southeast Asia,’ will synthesise data from across countries in the region, including on the location and timing of conflict incidents, seasonal patterns of production and harvesting, food prices, and less-studied drivers of conflict such as disputes over irrigation water rights or agricultural machinery. Among the expected outcomes of the research is an ability to explain and predict conflict based on seasonal changes in food prices.
Funded by a SSEAC Collaborative Research Grant, the research is a multidisciplinary undertaking, covering issues pertinent to climate science, agricultural economics, and conflict studies, and drawing on the complementary expertise of its co-leads.
“Conflict has dire consequences for communities, governance and the effective functioning of economies,” said Professor Hastings, of the Department of Government and International Relations, who is an expert on weak and failed states, violent non-state actors, and informal markets.
“Understanding the possible economic causes and patterns of conflict, and the role the agricultural sector may be playing, is vital – particularly as these systems continue to feel the myriad pressures of climate change and the pandemic.”
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Recent highlights
—workshops, webinars, events & more
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Engage Asia Symposium
The University of Sydney’s Business School successfully held its Engage Asia Symposium in May, showcasing the innovative ways the school is engaging in the region through education, research and dialogue. The event included the Engage Asia Challenge, supported by SSEAC, where talented students presented their solutions to some of the toughest sustainability challenges in Asia, judged by a panel of experts. The event was won by a student team who addressed rising fertiliser prices for rice farmers in Vietnam. “This year’s Engage Asia Challenge participants have shown such rich insights into highly complex problems. They have also displayed a significant capacity to innovate,” said Engage Asia Academic Lead Dr Sandra Seno-Alday.
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Film screening | Freedom Street
In May, we held an exclusive on-campus screening of 'Freedom Street', a moving documentary that explores the plights of Joniad, Ashfaq and Azizah, three refugees trapped in Indonesia as a consequence of Australia’s border protection policy. This feature-length documentary tells their moving stories, whilst deconstructing Australia’s border protection policy in a series of conversations with various experts, illuminating the issue in its historical and contemporary context. The screening was followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Alfred Pek. Learn more about the film here.
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Maritime Archaeology in the Asia- Pacific
Shipwrecks offer a tantalizing glimpse into the past, engaging our imagination with their stories of exploration, tragedy and treasure. For maritime archaeologists, however, the greatest discoveries are those yet to be made—the shipwrecks that remain hidden, the objects yet to be studied, the stories still untold. Focusing on the underwater cultural heritage of the Asia-Pacific, this webinar included an interdisciplinary panel of experts from Australia, Indonesia and Thailand to discuss the ethics, politics and legalities of two major ceramic collections in Australia and Indonesia. The discussion took place during National Archaeology Week, and was supported by the Australasian Institute for Maritime Archaeology, the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre and Flinders University. Watch the webinar on YouTube.
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Webinar | Pitching Thailand to funders
This webinar featured a stellar lineup of Thailand-focused scholars brought together to discuss how to be successful in obtaining funding for Thailand-focused research projects. Joining us were academics from across disciplines and across the world: Professor Tyrell Haberkorn (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Professor Duncan McCargo (University of Copenhagen), Professor Piya Pongsapitaksanti (Kyoto Sangyo University), Associate Professor Kanokwan Manorom (Ubon Ratchathani University), and Emeritus Professor Phil Hirsch (USYD). The session was chaired by SSEAC member Dr Aim Sinpeng. The speakers discussed challenges and opportunities in Australia, Thailand, Europe, the UK, US and Japan, and some of the strategies that researchers might employ to obtain funding for their projects. Watch it on Facebook and YouTube.
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SSEAC Postgraduate Lunch
It was lovely to catch up in person once again with our talented postgraduate SSEAC members for a casual lunch to discuss all things Southeast Asia! It's always a great opportunity for students to make connections, chat about research plans and aspirations, and share knowledge. Thanks to all who attended!
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SAGE Business Case Workshops
In April and May, SSEAC held a series of workshops to support academic members to publish with SAGE Business Cases, a renowned collection of over 4,000 case studies used for teaching and classroom discussion. A number of participants submitted great pitches on Southeast Asia-related topics, and have been supported to develop and refine their case studies in preparation for submission. We look forward to seeing these case studies published with SAGE very soon!
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Webinar | Pearl of the Orientalists: Western Writers and Reporters on Manila
Drawing on arguments from his recent book Imagining Manila, Dr Tom Sykes (University of Portsmouth) discussed several enduring representational tropes and devices that have defined a trajectory of British and American Orientalist fiction, travel writing and journalism about the city of Manila, stereotypically dubbed ‘the Pearl of the Orient’. This event was co-hosted by SSEAC and the School of Literature, Art and Media.
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The Afterlife of Underwater Cultural Heritage
Throughout human history, destruction of heritage has been part of warfare. The past and its material legacies are fiercely contested and they have also been strategically used when histories and cultural pasts overlap, as in the 19th Century invention of the term Silk Road. Looking specifically at the management, interpretation and display of threatened underwater cultural heritage, Dr Natali Pearson (SSEAC) and Marine Heritage Analyst Zainab Tahir (Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Indonesia) presented at this event, held in Bergen, Norway in April. They were joined by Prof Knut Rio (University of Museum Bergen) and Dr Edyta Roszko (Chr. Michelsen Institute).
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Webinar | Memory in the Mekong: Regional Identity, Schools, and Politics in Southeast Asia
In 2020, UNESCO Bangkok published 25 school lessons in hopes of creating a shared history in Southeast Asia. In this presentation, Dr Will Brehm (UCL) detailed the history of UNESCO’s shared histories project, some of its paradoxes, and the politics of its implementation in Cambodia. This talk launched Memory in the Mekong: Regional Identity, Schools, and Politics in Southeast Asia (Teachers' College Press 2022), which explores the possibilities, perils, and politics of constructing a regional identity in the countries along Southeast Asia’s Mekong River delta: Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. The event was co-hosted by SSEAC, CoInEd, and the Australian Association for Research in Education.
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TS4 | Re-Examining the Operation of Hate Speech in Thailand: The Case of Buddhists and Muslims
In this webinar, Dr Anwar Koma (Prince of Songkla University) explored relations between Buddhists and Muslims in southern Thailand, and the links between Thai nationalism, discrimination and hate speech. The presentation included detailed new findings on hate speech related to the conflict in southern Thailand.
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TS4 | Language Choice as a Political Tool
In this TS4 webinar, Dr Thanachate Wisaijorn (Ubon Ratchathani University) joined us to share insights from the field into the powerful role of language and how language choice impacts interpersonal relationships. The presentation discussed a methodological problem that Dr Thanachate Wisaijorn encountered in ethnographic fieldwork in Ubon Ratchathani.
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PhilS4 | Inequality and Political Dynasties in the Philippines
Professor Ronald Mendoza (Ateneo de Manila University) presented on the inequality trap in the Philippines, and how political dynasties are contributing to the entrenchment of power imbalances. The presentation examined the different and often mutually reinforcing features of inequality in the Philippines, and some of the possible pathways to break from the inequality trap.
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IS4 | Why Veil? Religious Headscarves and the Public Role of Women
Assistant Professor Naila Shofia and Assistant Professor Vasiliki Fouka gave a thought-provoking presentation on the socio-economic factors that compel some Indonesian women to wear religious headscarves, drawing on extensive research data.
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What's coming up?
—events and opportunities
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Australia’s Asia Engagement: Current and Future
The scale and pace of Asia’s transformation is unprecedented and the implications for Australia are profound. The Australian Government’s White Paper on “Australia in the Asian Century”, published in 2012, argued that fundamental policy and attitudinal changes will be required if Australia were to make the most of the opportunities presented by the Asian century.
Co-presented by the China Studies Centre, the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre and the University of Sydney Business School, this event brings together industry and government representatives to discuss how Australia can deepen our engagement with Asia as we come out of the COVID-19 pandemic and in the midst of geopolitical uncertainties. The event features a presentation of findings from the latest report on Asian Business in Australia by the University of Sydney Business School and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
Panellists include:
- Professor Suresh Cuganesan, The University of Sydney Business School
- Greg Bodkin, Cochlear
- Tim Browne, Commonwealth Bank of Australia
- Dr Wei Li, The University of Sydney Business School
- Mukund Narayanamurti, Austrade
- Elizabeth Ryu, Happytel
- Dr Sandra Seno-Alday, The University of Sydney Business School
When: Wednesday 8 June 2022, 4:00pm–6:20pm (AEST)
Where: LR2/3, Level 17, The University of Sydney (CBD Campus) 133 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, NSW
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Object-Based Learning Workshop for Research Portfolio Staff
Back by popular demand, we're delighted to partner with the Chau Chak Wing Museum to bring Southeast Asia to you!
Southeast Asia remains as vibrant, important, and engaging as ever, and we are keen to share our passion for this region with researchers and professional staff from across the University. Using the Chau Chak Wing Museum's rich and varied collections, and working inside the Museum itself, we invite Research Portfolio staff to join us for an object-based learning workshop designed to explore Southeast Asia through material culture. This workshop will provide a unique opportunity to network with fellow staff, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the Chau Chak Wing Museum’s collections and facilities.
Registrations close 3 July 2022.
When: Friday 12 August 2022, from 3:00-4:00pm AEST
Where: Chau Chak Wing Museum
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TS4 | Australia-Thailand COVID-19 Pandemic Response in Comparative Perspective
Join Dr Chavalin Svetanant (Macquarie University) for a closer look at Australia and Thailand's respective COVID-19 responses. In 2020, Australia and Thailand were among a select few countries praised for 'flattening the curve,' according to the Global COVID-19 Index. Yet, each case presents a unique context and approaches, with differences that became more evident as cases surged in 2021.
The Australian-Thai Pandemic Responses Project aims to build a collection of expert knowledge, based on socio-cultural, political, and media analysis to examine how the two countries tackle the outbreak and to highlight the lessons learned for strategic future management. It also strengthens institutional engagement and bilateral relationships through a collaboration between Australian and Thai research teams. Ultimately, the project generates knowledge that will contribute to the needs of Thailand and other ASEAN countries during and following the pandemic by providing a comprehensive source of knowledge and policy reference for practitioners.
When: Thursday 9 June 2022, 5pm PT / 8pm ET
Friday 10 June 2022, 7am ICT / 10am AEST
Where: Online via Zoom
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TS4 | Living in Interesting Times: Patterns and Problems in Contemporary Thai Politics
Join Professor Allen Hicken (University of Michigan) to delve into some of the complex issues impacting contemporary Thai politics. The last quarter century has been politically tumultuous, even by Thai historical standards. In this talk, Professor Hicken will discuss the evolution (and de-evolution) of political attitudes, behaviors, and institutions in Thailand. The talk will highlight the changes he observed (both promising and worrisome), as well as some surprising continuities.
When: Thursday 15 September 2022, 7am PT / 10am ET / 4pm CET / 9pm ICT / 12am AEST
Where: Online via Zoom
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Early and mid-career researchers retreat
This dedicated writing retreat is designed to provide participants with both inspiration and peer support to set you up for a productive second half of 2022. Open to early and mid-career researchers researching Southeast Asia at an Australian tertiary institution, the program will include structured writing time, informal discussions and debriefing sessions, and plenty of good food and coffee.
Expected outcomes of the retreat include:
- Making meaningful progress on an academic output, be it a chapter or a journal article
- Reflecting on your own writing habits and productivity
- Connecting with other researchers from the University of Sydney and beyond
Applications are open until 3 July 2022.
Who: Early and mid-career researchers with interests in Southeast Asia at an Australian tertiary institution
When: 9am-5pm, Wednesday 20 to Friday 22 July 2022
Where: Early and mid-career researchers researching Southeast Asia at an Australian tertiary institution
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PhilS4 | Electoral Dystopias: From Colonial Democracy to Authoritarian Rule in the Philippines
Join Professor Vicente L. Rafael as he methodically analyses the historical use of antidemocratic means to bolster electoral democracy in the Philippines, and exposes some of the darkest coercive practices at the heart of Duterte's presidency. Against the backdrop of the final days of the Duterte presidency and the recent election of Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. in the Philippines, this talk will examine the colonial roots of elections in the organization of native collaboration and counterinsurgency under Spain and the US. Drawing on the author's recent book The Sovereign Trickster: Death and Laughter in the Age of Duterte (Duke University Press, 2022), the talk will conclude with a look at contemporary practices today and the results of the 2022 presidential elections.
When: Thursday 16 June 2022, 5pm PT / 8pm ET
Friday 17 June 2022, 8am PHT / 10am (AEST)
Where: Online via Zoom
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RC44 | Labour Movements Conference June 2022
The International Sociological Association (ISA)’s Research Committee on Labour Movements (RC44) is running an Asia-Pacific regional conference online from 27–29 June 2022 on the theme of Labour Movements in a Post COVID-19 World. The conference provides an opportunity for scholars, based within and outside the region, to consider the agency and potential of workers and labour movements to shape better futures. Registrations for non-speaking participants closes on 20 June 2022.
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TS4 | HRH Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and PRC-Thai Relations in the Post-Cold War
Join Associate Professor Wasana Wongsurawat (Chulalongkorn University) as she discusses long-time Sinophile Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn's role in bolstering ties between Thailand and the People's Republic of China. Thailand is the only country in the Asia-Pacific rim that managed to de-democratize following the wave of democratization that swept across the region in the 1990s. An important factor contributing to this was the conservative elite’s ability to acquire a new external superpower patron—the People’s Republic of China—in support of undemocratic regimes in Southeast Asia once US influence had receded at the conclusion of the Cold War.
The clientelistic relationship between the PRC and Thailand has been in the making since the 1970s, spearheaded by conservatives. Since the 1990s, HRH Sirindhorn has become the most important personality in the promotion of PRC-Thai relations. This has been an important factor contributing to the legitimacy and stability of the undemocratic regime of Gen. Prayuth Chan-o-cha since the 2014 coup and a key concern of the pro-democracy Milk Tea Alliance that emerged in 2020.
When: Thursday 14 July 2022, 9:00am (CEST) / 14:00 (TST) / 17:00 (AEST)
Where: Online via Zoom
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Inter-Asia Cultural Studies Summer School 2022
Applications are open for the 2022 Inter-Asia Cultural Studies Society (IACS) Summer School, hosted by Universiti Malaya. The online summer school, held 9-19 August 2022, will focus on four key themes: authoritarianism, environment, translation, and movement. Eligible participants include postgraduate students and early career researchers (within 5 years of PhD). Further details, including how to apply, are here. The deadline for applications is 13 June.
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 | Boys Love and Japanese Queer Popular Culture across Southeast Asia
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers across East and Southeast Asia have found themselves turning to Thai soap operas known as “Boys Love series” as a source of comfort and joy. Originally deriving from Japanese comic book culture, Boys Love, or BL, represents just one of many instances where the queer popular culture of Japan has transformed sexual culture in Southeast Asia through the development of new expressions of gender and sexuality.
Joining Dr Natali Pearson on SSEAC Stories, Dr Thomas Baudinette shines the spotlight on the influence of Japanese queer popular culture across Southeast Asia. Dr Baudinette highlights how, across the region, young consumers – most prominently from sexual minority communities – have been turning away from Western media to draw upon Japanese popular culture in the ongoing search for affirmative representation and tools to not only make sense of their minoritised sexualities, but to also advocate for their emancipation.
| |  | Geopolitics in the Mekong Region
Energy, and who controls it, has emerged as a major issue in Southeast Asia in recent years. Nowhere is this issue more evident than in the Mekong region, where China’s influence on the politics of energy has been steadily on the rise under the umbrella of its Belt and Road Initiative. China’s investments have supported Cambodia in being able to meet its increasing domestic energy demand, and are also helping Laos to fulfil its vision of becoming the ‘battery of Asia’. Meanwhile, renewed US commitment and additional funding to the Mekong region has been welcomed. Whether that translates into viable alternatives to Beijing’s massive trade and investment, and growing influence, remains to be seen.
Joining Dr Natali Pearson on SSEAC Stories, Dr Andrea Haefner unpacks the role of Chinese energy politics in Laos and Cambodia, and reflects on the impact of the recent economic downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
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 | The politics of ethnic integration in Thailand
Following the 2014 coup in Thailand, in which the Thai military overthrew a caretaker government after 6 months of political crisis, major media outlets suggested that the coup could lead to ethnic tensions—and potentially civil war—between the Isan people of northeastern Thailand and the central Thai government. While this civil war never eventuated, there were genuine tensions between the Isan people and the Thai state.
In this episode of SSEAC Stories, Dr Natali Pearson is joined by Associate Professor Jacob Ricks to discuss why these tensions never escalated into full blown conflict as predicted. Is this a sign that Thailand’s centuries-long effort to integrate diverse ethnic identities has been a success, and what cautionary tales might apply?
| |  | Greater Angkor and Global Urbanism
Cambodia is home to Angkor, one of the most important archaeological sites of Southeast Asia. Greater Angkor, the capital of the Khmer Empire, was a low-density city that covered about 1,000 sq km and was the home of between 750,000 to 900,000 people in the 12th century CE. The urban complex was largely abandoned in the 14th and 15th centuries. Its central 300 sq km is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and includes the world-famous temple of Angkor Wat, one of humankind’s largest religious monuments which has continued in use to the present day.
In this episode, world-renowned archaeologist Professor Roland Fletcher joins Dr Natali Pearson to examine the structure of Angkor’s social and spatial organisation. Reflecting on the metropolis’ demise, Roland argues that archaeological study of Angkor can teach us lessons about the vulnerability of modern-day urbanism in a time of increasing climate risk.
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 | China, Buddhism and the Belt and Road Initiative in Mainland Southeast Asia
Launched in 2013 by Chinese President XI Jinping, China’s Belt and Road initiative has manifested throughout Southeast Asia in the form of multibillion dollar investments in transport infrastructure, industrial estates and other forms of “hard” development. This push for trade and hard infrastructure has been accompanied by a surge in various soft power initiatives, including the use of religion as a cultural resource.
Joining Dr Natali Pearson on SSEAC Stories, Dr Gregory Raymond sheds light on the use of religion, in particular Buddhism, within the great geopolitical strategy of China’s Belt and Road Initiative across mainland Southeast Asia.
| |  | Understanding the Drivers of Vaccine Acceptance in Southeast Asia
Vaccines have controlled or even eradicated some of the world’s most serious diseases. The success of immunisations, however, has always been limited by issues of public acceptance. Understanding why people are or aren’t vaccinated is crucial to public health responses to diseases like measles and, of course, COVID-19. Many are concerned about the impact of anti-vaccination activism and misinformation on vaccine programs. But is vaccine hesitancy always due to misinformation, and how do we go about measuring it?
Joining Dr Natali Pearson on SSEAC Stories, Dr Kerrie Wiley unpacks some of these issues, and discusses the various drivers of vaccine acceptance in Southeast Asia.
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In the media...
- In March, VOD published an opinion piece by Professor Daniel Tan on the need for Cambodia to ramp agricultural innovation in the face of growing climate risks.
- The Sydney Morning Herald published an opinion piece by Dr Susan Banki on how the Australian Government's response to the war in Ukraine underlined its muted response to the ongoing crisis in Myanmar.
- In April, The Monthly published a piece by Dr Sophie Chao on the impact of palm oil production on West Papuan communities
- In May, Dr Aim Sinpeng was quoted in an ABC News article about the election in the Philippines and the response from Filipino Australians.
- University of Sydney graduate Ivy He wrote for New Mandala on the concept of building back "safer" and "better" after disasters, with a focus on housing assistance following the volcanic eruption of Mount Merapi in Indonesia in 2010.
- ALSO: Catch up on recent SSEAC articles on inappropriate antibiotic supply by pharmacies in Vietnam; issues of vaccine equity, access and uptake in Southeast Asia; and a preview of the Philippines' election.
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Join the conversation!
SSEAC is connecting with thousands of individuals and organisations engaging in Southeast Asia every month on social media. Join the conversation to share your work, hear about our latest events and seminars, and be the first to know about grants, research, and opportunities in Southeast Asia.
If you have a recently published article, book review, or interview that you'd like to share with a Southeast Asia-focused community, let us know! Email sseac@sydney.edu.au with the details, or tag us in your tweet @seacsydney.
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