As instruments of global governance, Multilateral Development Banks were created to lend developing states capital for economic growth and development that they could not access from private capital markets. Despite their positive aims, these international organisations have often come under fire and received harsh criticism for their lending practices on economic, political, environmental, and human rights grounds. In particular, the Banks have been the focus of attention for being unaccountable for their actions.

Professor Susan Park chats with Dr Natali Pearson about global governance and Multilateral Development Banks, with a specific focus on accountability mechanisms in the Asian Development Bank.

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The early post-war years (1945-1948) in Asia witnessed the dismantling of empire leading to a massive territorial reorganisation of the region under the framework of 'reconstruction’. Contested borders dating from the age of empire were soon to be settled, as new national borders were drawn along ethnic or religious lines in the region. Yet the settlement of borders posed important challenges for those communities who had long resided in the interstices of state power. 

In this podcast, Dr Andres Rodriguez talks to Dr Natali Pearson about the ways in which both China and Burma sought to ‘decolonise’ the ethnically diverse borderland areas between Yunnan, Western Sichuan and Burma, and how their inhabitants presented their own interpretation of emancipation, equality and modernity for the region.

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Indonesia has one of the highest smoking rates in the world and a poor record for implementing the public health measures needed to see these rates fall. Smoking is estimated to kill more than 225,000 Indonesians per year and contributes to many more deaths. Yet tobacco regulation has been highly contested in recent years.

Dr Elisabeth Kramer chats with Dr Thushara Dibley about tobacco regulation in Indonesia, delving into the myriad of challenges to tobacco control in the country, from cultural to economic factors, and short-term political agendas.

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Despite having a population of over 260 million people, Indonesia has a mere 1,000 psychiatrists and an equal number of clinical psychologists. Funding for mental health care is around 1% of the country's health budget. Under these conditions, providing adequate mental health care is an enormous challenge.

Professor Hans Pols chats with Dr Natali Pearson about the stigma surrounding mental illness, community advocacy efforts and government policy to overcome stigma and eradicate controversial practices used to isolate people with mental illness from the community, and the future of mental health services in Indonesia.

This episode coincides with the release of a special edition of 'Inside Indonesia' edited by Professor Hans Pols, dedicated to mental health care in Indonesia, which you can find here.

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Motor neuron disease (MND), also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is a devastating disease where the dying-off (degeneration) of motor nerves results in muscle weakness affecting an individual’s ability to move, speak, swallow, perform daily activities and breathe. There is still no effective cure for MND, as there is no clear understanding of why a previously healthy person develops this genetic disorder at a later stage.

Professor Marina Kennerson and Professor Nortina Shahrizaila chat with Dr Natali Pearson about MND and their efforts to develop a research program for MND screening in Malaysia, which will pave the way for obtaining invaluable information of this lethal genetic disease across Southeast Asia.

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Gender-based crimes, especially rape, sexual violence and forced marriage, are extremely common in times of war. The consequences for victims and their communities are devastating. Despite that, these crimes have historically been largely invisible in international war crimes trials. For the last 10 years, Dr Rosemary Grey's work has focused on making gender-based crimes more visible in international war crime trials in order to increase justice to victims, especially women and girls.

In this podcast, Dr Rosemary Grey talks with Dr Natali Pearson about the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, which sexual violence and gender-based crimes it did or did not prosecute, as well as the role of art as a tool for justice and healing for these crimes.

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On 6 July 2019, in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Plain of Jars was inscribed as a World Heritage Monument: a unique testimony to a cultural tradition “which has disappeared”. For centuries, thousands of stone jars lay in splendid isolation, admired by villagers and the occasional European explorer. Only now do we begin to understand the complexities of the 100 sites spread over Xieng Khouang and Luang Prabang provinces. What are the future prospects for these mysterious creations and what is the level of preparedness for the increased tourist visits that follow a UNESCO World Heritage Site nomination?

Dr Lia Genovese met up with Dr Natali Pearson over Zoom to discuss the Plain of Jars of Laos and its future following its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019.

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The Philippines is one of the most natural hazard-prone countries in the world. With the social and economic cost of disasters in the country increasing due to population growth, migration, unplanned urbanisation, environmental degradation and global climate change, disaster resilience and management are more important than ever.

Dr Aaron Opdyke chats with Dr Natali Pearson about his work in disaster risk reduction and humanitarian response in the Philippines.

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Improper pest management has led to significant yield loss in rice and other crop harvests in Cambodia, causing economic losses to farmers and environmental disruption through ill-informed chemical use. The use of broad-spectrum pesticides as a solution to all observed pests is commonplace in the rice and mung bean fields of lowland Cambodia and can be linked to unsuitable sources of agricultural information.

Associate Professor Daniel Tan chats with Dr Natali Pearson about his lifelong work supporting sustainable farming practices in Cambodia, including through targeted capacity-building programs and the development of image-rich mobile phone applications to assist Cambodian farmers with insect pest identification and crop management.

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Is the COVID-19 pandemic eroding China’s influence in Southeast Asia? How has it affected perceptions of China in the region, and how might this shape China's foreign relations in Asia?

While China's rising influence in Southeast Asia has undoubtedly brought about economic development opportunities, it also presents complex geopolitical challenges for the region. These have come to the forefront amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as many Southeast Asian countries struggle to contain risks of economic downturn. The effects of the pandemic and resulting social isolation measures have been particularly pronounced in the manufacturing sector which relies heavily on Chinese companies' investments.

Dr Pichamon Yeophantong sat down with Dr Natali Pearson to look at the impact of COVID-19 on Southeast Asia's relations with China, with a particular focus on the garment manufacturing industry and its implications on human rights.

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