by Loro Horta, PhD candidate and research
associate fellow, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological
University, Singapore http://www.ntu.edu.sg/publicportal
India’s economic expansion is being felt all over the
world. Once remote and distant territories never before in the minds of most
Indians, are fast becoming destinations for Indian investors. These include
the islands of the Caribbean, which make a good case study of India’s
emerging approach to trade and investment.
India’s links to the Caribbean date back to the mid 19th
century when Britain brought thousands of indentured labourers from the subcontinent
to work in its plantations. Its return to the region has been steadily increasing
in the last five years. India is now a major economic and political actor
in oil-rich Trinidad and Tobago By the end of 2007, Indian companies had poured
$US3.4 billion into projects across the spectrum of that economy. Reflecting
her growing thirst for raw materials the bulk of this investment was in the
metallurgical sector.
In order to win goodwill India is following in China’s
footsteps in the developing world, by providing financial assistance and building
infrastructure. Indian companies have major irrigation infrastructure contracts
in Jamaica, Guyana, and Suriname, and are building $US80 million worth of
cricket stadiums and other sports facilities around the Caribbean. Other major
projects include a new highway and bridges in Suriname and a possible multimillion
dollar contract for telecommunications network infrastructure in Guyana. India
has also paid $US1.3 million for the computerisation of the secretariat of
CARICOM, the regional organisation that brings together the 15 Caribbean nations.
Since 2002 India has given Suriname $US72 million in lines of credit lines
for various infrastructure and development projects.
India is also showing considerable interest in the forest and
agriculture sector. Four Indian companies are already importing timber from
Guyana and Suriname. Another area that is attracting considerable Indian interest
is sugarcane and sugar production. Sugar exports, once a major source of revenue
for Caribbean nations, have suffered significantly since the European Union
imposed serious restrictions on its imports. Indian sugar companies have jumped
into this weakened sector and have been injecting funds into the sugar industries
of Jamaica, Guyana and Suriname, with the aim of transforming the region into
one of its main suppliers of sugar.
On the energy front, delegations from the Indian state-owned
oil giant Reliance visited Guyana and Suriname in 2007 to negotiate oil and
mining concessions. Indian companies are particularly interested in the potentially
lucrative gold and diamond fields located deep in the Amazon forest.
The fact that ethnic Indians constitute a significant proportion
of the population of some of the Caribbean nations has facilitated Indian
investment and fostered closer political ties. It is no coincidence that Indian
companies have been more successful in Trinidad and Tobago, where Indians
account for 40 per cent of the population, Guyana where they account for 51
per cent, and in Suriname where the figure is 31 per cent. India’s fast
economic growth and her resulting thirst for energy resources and other raw
materials will continue to drive Indian interest in this region and beyond.
However, in looking to the Caribbean India is not alone and must expect stiff
competition from China.
Links
Profile
This month we profile Marika Vicziany, Marika.Vicziany@adm.monash.edu.au
Director, Monash Asia Institute and convenor of the ASAA’s biennial
conference, to be held in Melbourne from1 to 3 July.
Q: When did you become interested in Asia and why?
A: I am a typical product of the Vietnam War. In the mid
1960s I began my studies at the University of Western Australia with German
and English literature, the history of the Tudors and Stuarts and Economics.
But the Vietnam War debate changed everything. I came to know a number of
outstanding scholars who were lateral thinkers: Hugh Owen (the founder of
the now well known international journal South Asia), Pen Hetherington (working
on Africa), Dorothy Hewitt (poet and playwright) and Beatrice Faust (commentator
extraordinaire). We all agreed that European studies had to be set aside for
the moment in order to understand what was happening in Asia. For myself,
the key question in Asia involved challenging US doctrine by asking questions
such as: Is the domino theory plausible? Is it true that nothing distinguishes
Russian from Chinese from Vietnamese communism? Is there a world communist
conspiracy? This year I am the convenor of the 17th biennial conference of
the Asian Studies Association of Australia. The theme is: Is this the Asian
century?, a question that captures the vast gap between our expectations of
Asia during the 1960s and today.
Q: What are your current preoccupations?
A: I have spent the greater part of my life struggling
to understand and fight against mass poverty. I arrived in Australia with
my parents and middle sister in 1950 - we were DPs (displaced persons) from
eastern Europe. I was born in an American base, Landshut, north of Munich.
We had only one suitcase between us and life in Perth was a cultural struggle
for my parents, who were used to the cafes of Budapest and Prague. But all
of this was nothing compared with the mass poverty and deprivation I have
seen in Asia - especially India, my first love. I have come to understand
that mass poverty is not accidental: it is the inevitable result of the structure
of power. These days I am also interested in the question of how religion,
ethnicity and regional security intersect with mass poverty. The War on Terror,
I have discovered, has many parallels with the war in Vietnam during the 1960s.
Q: What are your hopes for Asian Studies in Australia?
A: Asian studies in Australia is unique. Much more than our European
and American colleagues, Australian scholars spend a vast amount of time and
effort in the field - down in the villages, towns and cities of Asia. Because
we come from a country that is not regarded as a security threat, Australian
scholars have easy access to most countries in the region. It is this on-the-ground
knowledge that is critical in understanding the many complex issues that Asia
is now grappling with as part of its rising power. I hope that Asian studies
will continue to grow into new directions - in particular cross-disciplinary
and cross-regional studies. Australia has the capacity to produce a new generation
of experts who will have an in-depth familiarity with many Asian countries.
We must encourage these pan-Asian experts in order to find sustainable solutions
to the many problems common in our region, including Australia. The ASAA conference
this year seeks to encourage pan-Asian research in a manner that does not
compromise in-depth local knowledge. Our conference website is essential reading
for all people sharing our commitment to Asian studies:
http://www.conferenceworks.net.au/asaa/
Postgraduate of the month
Sophie Dubé is currently completing
her final year of Communication studies, majoring in Journalism, at the University
of Newcastle, Australia. Earlier this year Sophie found herself studying and
working in Indonesia through the Journalism Professional Practicum (JPP) run
by the Australian Consortium for In Country Indonesian Studies (ACICIS). An
email was circulated about the unique program, and having had a previous interest
in Asian cultures Sophie decided to apply for a position. The program involved
a study period at Atma Jaya Catholic University in Jakarta, followed by a
4 week internship at a number of media outlets throughout Jakarta and neighbouring
cities.
Through the program, Sophie made friendships with her Indonesian
work colleagues and gained contacts with high profile Indonesians. She also
formed valuable relationships with the Australian and New Zealand participants
who shared her interests in journalism and in Asia. Sophie worked at TVRI
with fellow JPP intern Dylan Quinnell. During her placement Sophie was able
to produce reports which were aired on the English News Service; she dubbed
the world news on the English news and she and Dylan produced a 23 minute
package about the important cultural relationship between Australia and Indonesia.
To Sophie, the opportunity to work, live and study in Indonesia
was something that allowed her to better understand the relationship between
Australia and Indonesia and it highlighted the opportunities that are available
in Indonesia, particularly for people in the media.
Sophie has been given another exciting opportunity to head
back to Asia this year, this time to China, to work as a volunteer on the
media team at the Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing. This work will be counted
towards her degree and she is looking forward to learning more about another
culture and language.
Website of the month
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/nationalinterest/stories/2008/2201830.htm
The National Interest on Radio National recently ran a story
about languages, taking its lead from the rise to power of Australia’s
first Mandarin-speaking prime minister. The program elicited some lively responses
from readers, which can be found on the website http://www.abc.net.au/rn/nationalinterest/stories/2008/2201830.htm
Recent article of interest
Jane Orton, University of Melbourne, has written a report
on Australian Professional and Business Area Knowledge for Working in China.
Her main findings are (i) that professional education in Australia (both pre-service
university courses and initial practice in the workplace) educate Australians
in a wide range of fields to a standard which allows them to compete successfully
with the best of the rest of the world, something they must do if they work
in China; meanwhile, working in China sharpens their grip on the basic principles
of their field; and, (ii) that only 20 per cent of those working in China
have any Chinese language proficiency, and barely 10 per cent have ever studied
a China-related subject. While they are able to work, as most do at present,
as the bridge between international clients and the sourcing in China, they
can do well. However the common prediction is that localisation of employment
will see all but the very top Australian experts redundant in China within
ten years; in some sectors, this will occur within five years. The full report
is available on http://www.edfac.unimelb.edu.au/lale/research/Orton-AustChina%20Knowl.pdf
Did you know?
The Thinking Head project is an advanced artificial intelligence
program being developed with $3.5 million in funding from the National Health
and Medical Research Council and the Australian Research Council. It involves
researchers from Flinders University, the University of Western Sydney, Macquarie
University and the University of Canberra.
The group has recently joined with a German university to develop
a German-language version of the head, to be used to teach children English
and German. The initial focus is on nine-year-olds, but the team will also
be doing some broader studies from pre-school to university. There is also
interest in how the system could teach Asian languages.
The Thinking Head project will be featured at Synthetic Times,
an art and technology exhibition staged by the National Art Museum of China
in association with the Beijing Olympics.
http://thinkinghead.edu.au/
http://www.flinders.edu.au/news/news-article.cfm?newsID=C565F973-D837-76C8-B54D-38978732D953
Synthetic Times: National Art Museum of China http://www.mediartchina.org
Diary dates
INTIMATE ENCOUNTERS INDIAN PAINTINGS FROM AUSTRALIAN
COLLECTIONS, 22 February to 4 May, Sydney. The Art Gallery of NSW
is hosting an exhibition drawing from collections throughout Australia, to
survey the major schools of Indian painting, highlighting the rich interactions
that inspired each tradition. http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/exhibitions/coming/intimate_encounters
AN ARMS RACE IN THE REGION? SOUTHEAST ASIAN DEFENCE
POLICIES, MILITARY SPENDING AND WEAPONS PROCUREMENT , seminar, 28 April, Perth.
Dr Tim Huxley, Executive Director, The International Institute for Strategic
Studies – Asia, Singapore will examine questions such as the factors
driving military modernisation in Southeast Asia and whether there is evidence
of an incipient arms race which might further entrench bilateral tensions
and destabilise regional security and what relevance this may have to Australia.
Senate Room, Murdoch University, 10:30 am http://wwwarc.murdoch.edu.au/seminars.html
THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF HISTORY, public lecture, 1 May,
Melbourne. Laksmi Pamuntjak, a leading poet, essayist and food critic
in contemporary Indonesia, will talk about her first novel, Blue Widow. Asia
Institute, The University of Melbourne, 1 May 2008, 06:00-7:30pm, Old Geology
Theatre 2, The University of Melbourne. For more information, contact Dr Lewis
Mayo, T: +61 3 8344 8907; E: lmayo@unimelb.edu.au.
REINVENTING THE CONTEMPORARY – ‘VISIONS
OF EXCESS’, ‘ART NOW’, AND THE GLOBAL MARKET OF CHINESE
AND INDONESIAN ART, 13 May, Sydney. Dr Thomas J. Berghuis, Senior
Research Curator with the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre and the Centre for
Contemporary Art and Politics, College of Fine Arts, will examine the rise
of art auctions and art fairs in Asia, the implementation of national and
transnational strategies for the promotion of contemporary art, and explore
the way in which artists, curators, and art organisations have responded to
the new market incentives. 4.15 pm – 5.30 pm, The Refectory, Main Quadrangle,
University of Sydney (http://db.auth.usyd.edu.au/directories/map/building.stm?ref=D15H22)
TAISHO- CHIC: JAPANESE MODERNITY, NOSTALGIA AND DECO
22 May to 3 August, Sydney. Featuring about 70 paintings, prints,
textile and decorative arts, the exhibition encapsulates the clash and embrace
of Western modernity and traditional Japan in this transitional period (the
greater Taisho- period 1910–1930). On Saturday 24 May 2008 a series
of lectures will consider modernity and Japanese-ness. 9.30am – 4.30pm,
Domain Theatre, Lower level 3, Art Gallery of New South Wales http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/exhibitions/coming/taisho_chic
A NEW ERA FOR GLOBAL BUSINESS: SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
FOR CHINA AND THE WORLD, 28-30 May, Tianjin, China. Business figures
and government leaders from around the world will explore Asia's economic
future in the context of China's growing stature to examine strategic models
of sustainable development. How are China and other Asian nations integrating
with global markets while maintaining a focus on sustainable development?
What will be the impact of Asia's rapid capital growth in bolstering world
financial markets? How can Asia collaborate in seeking green solutions to
address heightening environmental concerns? For more information about the
2008 Asia Society conference, email Tianjin2008@asiasoc.org
or see http://www.asiasociety.org/conference08
INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM ON ASIAN BUSINESS (ICAB),
30 June to 3 July 2008 Bangkok, Thailand. The colloquium invites
abstracts and papers concerned with Asian business and management issues.
Topics to be discussed include intellectual property, brands and branding,
finance, managing risk, corporate social responsibility, disaster management,
market entry, leadership, and a host of others. The conference particularly
welcomes papers that employ novel or interdisciplinary approaches, perhaps
drawing from areas of sociology, economics, psychology, cultural studies,
history, gender studies or politics. See http://www.bkkconference.com
or email mark@bkkconference.com
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 in 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
THE POLITICS OF ISLAM IN OUTER INDONESIA, 22-26 July,
Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Indonesia. This is the 5th International
Symposium sponsored by Jurnal Antropologi Indonesia. These symposia are now
among the world's largest gatherings of Indonesianists, primarily but not
exclusively anthropologists. Ian Chalmers and Greg Acciaioli are calling for
papers to be submitted to the panel: 'The politics of Islam in Outer Indonesia'
This panel will explore the political, social and cultural dynamics of Islamic
revitalisation today. To express your interest in presenting at this panel,
please contact Greg Acciaioli, Anthropology, University of Western Australia
Gregory.Acciaioli@uwa.edu.au
or Ian Chalmers, Indonesian Studies, Humanities, Curtin University of Technology
I.Chalmers@curtin.edu.au.
For an overview of the conference theme see: http://www.fisip.ui.ac.id/antropologi/index.php?option=com_content&ta
BEIJING OLYMPIC GAMES, 8-24 August 2008 http://en.beijing2008.cn/
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. See http://www.freewebs.com/womeninasia/
ARTSingapore, 9-13 October 2008, Singapore.
This contemporary visual art fair is both a trade and consumer fair, and thus
a platform for art dealers and galleries to network and foster business relationships,
and for art collectors to acquire new works http://www.artsingapore.net/index-as.html
You are welcome to advertise Asia-related events in this
space. Send details to: fbeddie@ozemail.com.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 Asia Studies Review
journal and holds a biennial conference.
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). It is edited by Francesca Beddie.
The editorial board consists of Robert Cribb, ASAA President; Michele Ford,
ASAA Secretary; Mina Roces, ASAA Publications officer; and Lenore Lyons, ASAA
Council member.
