Analysis
ASIAN STUDIES AND THE AUSTRALIAN ELECTION
by Professor Adrian Vickers, University of Sydney
adrian.vickers@usyd.edu.au
When I was asked to write on the topic of what the forthcoming
election might mean for Asianists in Australia, the question that came to
mind was: ‘How much difference will it make if Labor wins?’ For
it is likely that if the Coalition is returned, we will have business as normal:
the fostering of good relations with certain leaders, primarily in the name
of the ‘War against Terror’, with the focus still on Indonesia,
Singapore, the Philippines, Japan and India.
In this respect the key difference in a Rudd government would
be a policy outlook more sympathetic to China. Nevertheless, given that China
is so economically important to Australia, the difference would not be felt
strongly beyond nuances of foreign policy. If, however, Labor shifted the
international priority away from Islam and terrorism, and towards global warming
and the environment, issues such as the re-militarisation of Japan would automatically
become less important than finding ways to work with China and India to reduce
carbon emissions. Connections with Indonesia would shift towards the issue
of deforestation and environmental destruction. I should stress that these
are matters of emphasis, as Australia has already started to direct international
programs in this direction.
But for me as an Asianist, a Labor victory would provide
the possibility that we Australians might actually come to be liked again
in our region. Once, travelling as an Australian in the Asia-Pacific, I could
be assured of a friendly reception. Even being in Indonesia during earlier
ructions such as the Jenkins Affair back in 1986, I never felt that being
an Australian was a disadvantage. People would speak to me of the importance
of studying English via Radio Australia broadcasts, or their enjoyment of
our television programs, or their experiences of having sight restored or
getting clean water thanks to Australian aid. In more recent years I have
been warned in Indonesia that I should say I am a New Zealander, have heard
of Australian tourists being abused and told to ‘go home’ in the
Philippines, and have seen the outcomes of Australian policies - such as the
‘Pre-emptive Strike’, the deaths of Indonesian fishermen in Australian
custody, and the anti-Islamic rhetoric of Australian politicians - excoriated
in Asian news media. Not all of these and other unpopular actions in Asia
are directly attributable to the Howard Government, but the association has
stuck. Only a change of government will shift these perceptions.
A change of government alone is not enough to make up for
all the damage done to Australia’s image in the region. The promises
of a Rudd government to restore the promotion of Asian language teaching will
be a positive step, as will the general image of Kevin Rudd as someone interested
in Asia (and here we can contrast PM Howard’s specific statements against
Asian immigration in the late 1980s, statements, I should add, he has since
revoked). If we move away from a cultural focus on Britain and the US, we
could see unexpected benefits, for example a better promotion of tourism to
Australia in burgeoning markets such as China, rather than the culturally
insensitive and British-focussed ‘Where the Bloody Hell Are You?’
The latter epitomises the cultural myopia of the Howard years, and says a
lot about why Asianists do not receive a good hearing in Canberra.
Management of the media will play a key role in changing
attitudes about Australia in Asia, and of Asia in Australia, and there is
much that is beyond the power of government in that area. However a government
that is less ready to politicise aid and to play popularist domestic politics
with foreign policy, will achieve much.
PRIVATE SECURITY COMPANIES IN THE MALACCA STRAITS - THE NEED FOR REGULATION
by Carolin Liss, PhD Candidate, Murdoch University,
c.liss@murdoch.edu.au
In the past few years, more and more private security companies
(PSCs) have been conducting maritime security services in Southeast Asia.
A focus for their operations in the region is the Malacca Straits, one of
the busiest waterways in the world. More than 60,000 merchant vessels transit
these narrow straits each year. Oil, gas and mineral resources are also
found in the area, with both onshore and offshore energy installations in
operation.
Security in the Malacca Straits is an issue because politically
motivated groups as well as criminal gangs are active in the vicinity. As
the littoral states have not been able to address security threats in the
Malacca Straits, ship- and cargo-owners, underwriters, and oil and gas companies
have, in recent years, especially since September 11, hired PSCs to protect
their assets, particularly from the threat of piracy, sabotage and terrorism.
While many of the larger companies operating in the region
are based in the USA and Great Britain, smaller ones have also been established
in Southeast Asia. Many of these consist only of a limited permanent staff,
an office and an impressive presence on the Internet, albeit with scant
information abut their services and personnel. However, it does appear that
the majority of PSCs operating in the maritime sector are founded and staffed
by ex-military or ex-law enforcement personnel, with e additional staff
and equipment procured on a case-by-case basis, once a contract is signed.
The role played by PSCs in the Malacca Straits area is
twofold. First, their reports and risk assessments have increasing impact
on decisions taken by governments and businesses, as well as on the formation
of opinion in the public sector. Second, they provide guards and escort
vessels for ships transiting the Malacca Straits, akin to the activities
of military or local law enforcement agencies. PSC employees conducting
this kind of work often carry firearms, making regulation and oversight
of such their operations an important issue, but one that has yet to be
adequately addressed.
PSC employees from various companies have stated that they
inform the Indonesian and/or Malaysian authorities abut planned operations,
either through a liaison officer or a personal contact. In the process money
changes hands and the company receives ‘permission’ to conduct
its work. PSC employees from various companies have stated that they inform
the Indonesian and/or Malaysian authorities about planned operations, either
through a liaison officer or a personal contact. In the process money changes
hands and the company receives ‘permission’ to conduct its work.
These arrangements do not equate to proper permits. Regional governments
should be introducing background checks on PSC personnel and procedures
to monitor armed PSC operations. New regulations along these lines, and
enforcement of these policies, would ensure that only reputable PSCs (with
sufficiently trained personnel), are allowed to operate in the Malacca Straits.
This would make the employment of PSCs a less risky business for all.
Links:
Profile
This month we profile Professor John Hearn,
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) and Professor of Physiology at
the University of Sydney.
Q: When did you become interested in studying Asia
and why?
A: I was born in India and have worked with Asian friends
and colleagues for over 30 years, especially in China, India and Thailand
as well as in other countries. My long-term membership in World Health Organization
programs has a twin focus on institutional development in the leadership and
management of research and higher education, as well as in my personal research
fields of human and animal fertility, stem cell biology and biotechnology.
Q: What are your current preoccupations?
A: I am focussed on building university-wide research and
education partnerships, encouraging staff and student exchange with leading
academic, industry and government partners worldwide. We are implementing
programs to internationalise the University in all of its activities as a
world centre for new knowledge and its practical applications. This in turn
creates opportunities for our staff and students to participate as global
citizens in the big issues facing our region and the world.
A major part of these activities is in Asia, especially in
China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and elsewhere. Our programs
link the strength of partner universities in issues including health and ageing,
rural and urban development, economics and employment, sustainable environment,
agriculture and food, government and law, biodiversity and conservation. The
University offers top quality degrees at the levels of undergraduate, coursework
Masters, and research PhD. There are also executive leadership short courses
for mid and later career leaders, through our Research Institute for Asia
and the Pacific (RIAP).
Q: How do these fit into the contemporary scene?
A: Research and higher education are rightly given top priority
by governments, parents and students throughout Asia. Rigorous training and
a highly ranked degree lead to good jobs and successful careers. That is our
business. It is important that a graduate from Sydney understands the key
fundamentals, knows about the leading edge in research and appreciates the
practical outcomes. The scene is increasingly competitive, so there is no
room for complacency.
Q: What are your hopes for Asian Studies in Australia?
A: We can deliver a more integrated approach, where focus and depth
in a disciplinary area, be it in the health, science, arts or humanities,
is supported by broader education in culture and current affairs. This objective
is helped by our work with international governments, industry and agencies,
for example with the United Nations agencies and the frameworks of the Millennium
Development Goals, OECD, the World Bank and Asia Development Bank, and through
scholarships from the Australian and foreign governments.
Links:
Student of the month
Matt Eckersley (meckertime2@hotmail.com)
started out life as a bit of a wanderer with a love of different cultures
and new experiences. A serious illness while cycle touring in Asia forced
a return to Australia and some heavy contemplation on future directions.
After some serious thought Matt decided a career as a travelling doctor
would be a good thing. In a stroke of luck he decided to undertake a degree
in Indonesian studies, having baulked at the traditional Biomed degree.
While other med students end up with seven years studying science, Matt
has acquired another language and a wealth of great experiences from his
undergrad degree.
Studying Indonesia took Matt to Yogyakarta for a year,
on the ACICIS program; then in 2005 he spent four weeks to Nias island off
the coast of West Sumatra. There he saw the effects of the tsunami and earthquake
that had struck earlier that year and the results of the following aid effort.
In 2006 he spent two weeks in Yogyakarta after the earthquake there and
now in 2007 he is off to Brunei for his six-week general surgery rotation.
Next year in the final year of medicine he will complete an eight-week elective
at Padang in West Sumatra, focusing on infectious diseases and emergency
medicine.
Although it meant studying harder than others in first
year, Matt says that without a shadow of a doubt undertaking the degree
in Indonesian was a great decision. Recently in a gala dinner to end a national
medical students’ conference this was proven again. With 350 medical
students and some prominent politicians in attendance an end-of-night trivia
question was put out to find the greatest mind! The question began ‘Which
Indonesian president…?’ Say no more for the glory was all Matt’s!
‘Greatest mind’ he definitely thinks not, but what a moment
to put the icing on the cake of a degree in Asian studies as a gateway into
medicine!
Website of the month
http://asaa.asn.au
The ASAA council has been working on a facelift for the ASAA
website. There are links to 60 overseas Asian Studies associations, as well
as links to Australian centres of Asian Studies. The website offers a searchable
database on Asia expertise. See the new website at http://asaa.asn.au
and enjoy yourself.
Recent article of interest
Big White Lie: Chinese Australians in White Australia by John Fitzgerald,
UNSW Press, July 2007, http://www.unswpress.com.au/isbn/0868408700.htm.
Big White Lie shifts our understanding of the White Australia Policy by exploring
what Chinese Australians were saying and doing at a time when they were officially
excluded.
The author, Professor John Fitzgerald, head of the School
of Social Sciences at La Trobe University has recently been appointed Chief
Representative of the Ford Foundation in Beijing. He brings to the position
extensive experience studying with Chinese scholars and working with researchers
in China on projects ranging from the birth of Chinese nationalism to the
origins of the party state, the historical development of China’s system
of territorial administration, the experience of racism among the Chinese
diaspora, and problems of human dignity and individual rights in contemporary
East Asia. He will take up the position in January 2008. http://www.fordfound.org/global/office/index.cfm?office=Beijing
http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/our-ignorance-of-asia-is-off-like-old-sushi/2007/07/04/1183351290532.html
Did you know?
From October 2007, trade mark owners have the chance to register
domain names in the new '.asia' top-level domain (TLD), prior to a general
release of .asia names in 2008. The domain space will open in several phases,
offering opportunities in turn to government entities, owners of marks currently
in use, owners of unused and newer marks, and the general public. Registration
in the .asia domain is a useful way to assert an association with the region
that extends beyond national borders. http://www.minterellison.com/public/connect/Internet/Home/Legal+Insights/News+Alerts/NA-Registration+of+asia+domain+names+opening+soon
Diary dates
CINEMA INDIA: THE ART OF BOLLYWOOD, 6 June - 11 November,
Sydney. Cinema India explores the phenomenon of Bollywood, primarily
through film advertising materials - posters, hoardings, lobby cards and song
books - from the 1930s to the present day. Alongside will be some dazzling
Bollywood costumes as well as original film trailers and song and dance sequences
featuring the most celebrated stars of Indian cinema. Wednesday 6 June - Sunday
11 November 2007 The Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris Street, Ultimo, Sydney
http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/exhibitions/cinema_india.asp
KRISHNA - LOVE AND DEVOTION EXHIBITION, 6 October
- 16 March, Melbourne. Krishna is one of the most popular of the
Hindu gods worshipped throughout Asia and in particular India. The exhibition
will explore Krishna iconography, through approximately 70 works including
paintings, sculpture, textiles, photography, and jewellery. Asian Tempore
Exhibition Space, Level 1, National Gallery Victoria International, 180 St
Kilda Road www.ngv.vic.gov.au/krishna/index.html
11TH JAPAN FILM FESTIVAL, 29-31 October, Melbourne.
This festival includes films about present-day Japan, the early Taisho period
and Kyoto in the 1960s.
This event is presented by the Japan Foundation in corporation
with the Consulate-General of Japan Melbourne. 6.30pm start at ACMI Cinemas,
Federation Square. Free. Tickets must be booked in person at ACMI Box Office
www.melbourne.au.emb-japan.go.jp/jicc/pdf/2007filmweb.pdf
AUSTRALIAN -MALAYSIAN BILATERAL RELATIONS: A DIALOGUE,
30 October, Canberra. 2007 marks the 50th Anniversary Year of Malaysia’s
Independence. To further our understanding of Malaysia and the ties between
the two nations, the Malaysian High Commissioner, HE Dato’ Haji Salim
Hashim, will be providing a ‘snapshot’ of Malaysia, after which
the floor will be opened to questions from the audience. Australian Institute
of International Affairs Conference Centre, Level 1, Stephen House, 32 Thesiger
Court, Deakin. Please RSVP by 26 October to assist with catering arrangements.
Email act.branch@aiia.asn.au or
call 6232 4978.
RADICAL ELEGANCE EXHIBITION, 1 November - 17 February,
Perth. This is an exhibition of women's clothing by the renowned
Japanese couturier Yohji Yamamoto, whose garments have been a significant
influence on contemporary haute couture and prêt à porter clothes
since his Paris debut in 1982. Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth Cultural
Centre, Perth. www.artgallery.wa.gov.au/exhibitions/Yamamoto.asp
2008 ASIALINK LEADERS PROGRAM, 8 November Melbourne;
15 November, Sydney. The 2008 Asialink Leaders Program is now open
for application. This program gives emerging leaders across all sectors the
skills to succeed across cultures and borders. Information sessions will be
held in both Melbourne and Sydney. For more information see http://www.asialink.unimelb.edu.au/our_work/leaders
or contact Yue Li at 03 8344 3574 or email to leadership@asialink.unimelb.edu.au
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CIVIL & MILITARY
RELATIONSHIPS: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE HEALTH, MOBILITY AND WELLBEING OF CIVILIAN
POPULATIONS IN ASIA-PACIFIC, 9 November, Melbourne. The conference
will bring together eminent academics, researchers and practitioners from
the region to focus on the complex issue of civil and military relationships
in the contemporary era. It is targeted towards postgraduate students and
early-career researchers. For more information contact Dr Tony Donaldson at
tony.donaldson@adm.monash.edu.au.
ASIA PACIFIC REGION: SOCIETIES IN TRANSFORMATION
conference, Georgetown (Penang) Malaysia, 19-22 November, 2007. The
region is seemingly now more integrated, with unprecedented levels of tourism,
migration, and economic and cultural linkages. But, are the nations of the
region and their populations, more divided, united or are they fundamentally
unchanged over the past two decades? These are questions to be raised in a
conference co-sponsored by the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and University
of Wollongong. See: http://www.capstrans.edu.au/resources/conferences/2007/conferences-2007-apsa.html
17th NEW ZEALAND ASIAN STUDIES SOCIETY (NZASIA) CONFERENCE,
Otago, 22-25 November 2007. This will be an open, multidisciplinary
conference. Full conference details can be found at http://www.nzasia.org.nz
'OCCUPYING 'THE OTHER': AUSTRALIA AND MILITARY OCCUPATIONS
FROM JAPAN TO IRAQ'. 29-30 November 2007, Wollongong. This symposium
sponsored by the Japan Foundation, the Centre for Asia Pacific Social Transformation
Studies (CAPSTRANS) at the University of Wollongong and Monash University
aims to bring together journalists, public commentators and scholars investigating
Australian involvement in foreign military occupations. Contact Dr Christine
de Matos cdm@uow.edu.au
ASIA PACIFIC WEEK 2008: Building Australia’s
Asia Pacific Expertise, 29 January - 1 February 2008, Canberra. During
one week of activities graduate students from Australia and the region will
have a chance to present their research interests, meet with other students
and academics, participate in a wide range of training activities, be introduced
to the rich holdings on Asia and the Pacific at the ANU Library and at the
National Library and participate in a stimulating program of events including
cross-area workshops, keynote speeches, seminars and master classes, film
screenings, cultural performances and social events. See http://rspas.anu.edu.au/asiapacificweek
THE COLD WAR IN ASIA: THE CULTURAL DIMENSION, 24-25
March 2008, Singapore. This conference will investigate how Asian
actors in the Cold War adhered to certain Cold War doctrines or ideologies
and how their cultural perceptions predisposed them towards certain policies
or to the political engagement between states and social forces on the cultural
front. Venue: Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore. http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/events_categorydetails.asp?categoryid=6&eventid=732.
Those interested in participating should submit a 300-word abstract and 100-word
autobiographical note by 31 October 2007 to Ms Valerie Yeo at ariyeov@nus.edu.sg
CRITICAL HAN STUDIES SYMPOSIUM & WORKSHOP, 24-27
April 2008, Stanford University. Call for Papers. Han is a colossal
category of identity that encompasses ninety-four percent of the population
of mainland China, making it the largest ethnic group on earth. Participants
in the first-ever Critical Han Studies Symposium & Workshop will help
develop materials to be published in two path-breaking volumes: Critical Han
Studies, an edited volume, and the Critical Han Studies Reader, a collection
of primary source materials in translation. The deadline for paper and panel
proposals is 3 December 2007. For more information contact Professor Thomas
S. Mullaney at tsmullaney@stanford.edu
or James Leibold at Latrobe University: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/socsci/staff/leibold/
leibold.html
IS THIS THE ASIAN CENTURY? 17th Asian Studies Association of Australia
Conference, 1-3 July 2008, Melbourne. The biennial Asian Studies
Association of Australia conference is the largest gathering of expertise
on Asia in the southern hemisphere. The theme for 2008 invites you to assess
how the regions and issues on which you are interested are faring. The ASAA
conference is multi-disciplinary and covers Central, South, South-East and
North East Asia and the relationship of all of these with the rest of the
world. See http://www.conferenceworks.net.au/asaa
TRANSITION AND INTERCHANGE Ninth Women in Asia Conference,
29 September-1 October 2008, Brisbane. The University of Queensland
is hosting the ninth Women in Asia (WIA) Conference, to be held from 29 September-1
October, 2008. Call for Papers: Contributions are invited from various disciplines
on a large number of themes concerning the lives of women in Asia. Participants
are encouraged to submit proposals for panels (with 3-4 papers per panel).
Individual proposals are also welcome. Enquiries can be addressed to wia@uq.edu.au
You are welcome to advertise Asia-related events in this space. Send
details to: fbeddie@infinite.net.au
Feedback
What would be useful for you? Human interest stories, profiles
of successful graduates of Asian studies, more news about what's on, moderated
discussions on topical issues? Send your ideas to fbeddie@ozemail.com.au.
About the ASAA
The Asian Studies Association of Australia (ASAA) promotes
the study of Asian languages, societies, cultures, and politics in Australia,
supports teaching and research in Asian studies and works towards an understanding
of Asia in the community at large. It publishes the Asian Studies Review
journal and holds a biennial conference. ASAA and the Centre for Language
Studies at National University of Singapore also co-publish an annual supplementary
issue of the Centre's fully peer-reviewed electronic Foreign Language Teaching
Journal (e-FLT). See http://e-flt.nus.edu.sg
The ASAA believes there is an urgent need to develop a strategy to preserve,
renew and extend Australian expertise about Asia. It has called on the government
to show national leadership in the promotion of Australia’s Asia knowledge
and skills. See Maximizing Australia's Asia Knowledge Repositioning and
Renewal of a National Asset http://coombs.anu.edu.au/SpecialProj/ASAA/asia-knowledge-book-v70.pdf
Asian Currents is published by the
Asian Studies Association of Australia (ASAA) http://coombs.anu.edu.au/ASAA/
thanks to a grant from the International Centre of Excellence for Asia Pacific
Studies (ICEAPS) http://iceaps.anu.edu.au.
It is edited by Francesca Beddie. The editorial board consists of Robert Cribb,
ASAA President; Michele Ford, ASAA Secretary; Mina Roces, ASAA Publications
officer; Lenore Lyons, ASAA Council member; and Ann Kumar, Director, ICEAPS.
