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SSEAC Stories podcasts

The latest podcasts from the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre

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Photograph of migrant worker in Thailand. Photo credit: ILO / Emmanuel Maillard

COVID-19 and Migrant Workers in Southeast Asia

COVID-19 has had such far-reaching impacts that it can be, and has been, studied from the perspective of almost any academic discipline. For geographers, the ways in which COVID-19 affects place, space and movement is particularly consequential. It is at once a global phenomenon, yet it also ties us to localities in a way not experienced for a very long time in our increasingly mobile and interconnected world. In Southeast Asia, the impact of COVID-19 has been particularly severe for migrant workers, who have found themselves un- or under-employed and sometimes stranded as economic activity has shut down and borders have closed. On the occasion of International Migrants Day on 18 December, Emeritus Professor Philip Hirsch spoke to Dr Natali Pearson about the impact that the pandemic has had on migrant workers in mainland Southeast Asia, and how we can better protect this vulnerable community.

Photograph of a plastic water bottle floating in bright blue water

Beating Plastic Pollution in Timor-Leste

As environmental emergencies go, the explosion of plastic waste is right up there. With global plastic production exceeding 300 million tonnes each year, the world has generally looked at it as an unsightly menace to be removed, but Professor Thomas Maschmeyer has gone beyond that idea. His work challenges our perceptions of waste, by turning plastic into an asset that people actively seek out to recycle because it can make them money. What he created might just clean up the planet and lift people out of poverty. Professor Thomas Maschmeyer speaks to Dr Thushara Dibley about his ground-breaking work developing catalytic technology that can recycle any kind of plastic and turn it into a valuable resource, and how he is helping Timor-Leste become the world's first plastics-neutral country.

Photograph of older Vietnamese woman wearing a conical hat and looking in the distance against a bright blue wall

Transforming Breast Cancer Diagnosis in Vietnam

Globally, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, with over 1 million cases detected annually. The disease is particularly worrisome in Vietnam, where breast cancer incidence has more than doubled over the last two decades, making it the leading cancer among Vietnamese women, ahead of cervical and uterine cancers. Professor Patrick Brennan talks to Dr Natali Pearson about his decade-long work on improving breast cancer detection in Vietnam.

Photograph of a group of women planting paddy rice seedlings in a field near Sekong, Laos, in 2007. Photo: Jim Homes / AusAID

Projectland: Life in a Lao Socialist Model Village

Associate Professor Holly High talks to Dr Natali Pearson about her decades-long anthropological fieldwork in rural parts of Laos, recounting little-known stories of life in a remote village in Sekong Province. She explores the role of the State in shaping local aspirations, world views and beliefs, as well as discusses notions of gender and how socialist values of equality, unity and independence have influenced the lives of women in one of Laos' model villages.

Photograph of protesters on a truck demanding less internet censorship

Social Media, Grassroots Activism and Disinformation in Southeast Asia

Dr Aim Sinpeng and Dr Ross Tapsell discuss their new book, 'From Grassroots Activism to Disinformation: Social Media in Southeast Asia' (ISEAS Publishing, 2020), with Dr Thushara Dibley, and explore some of the more recent controversies surrounding social media use in Southeast Asia.

Southeast Asian Performance, Ethnic Identity and China’s Soft Power

Dr Josh Stenberg talks to Dr Natali Pearson about Sino-Southeast Asian self-representation in performance arts, and challenges essentialist readings of ethnicity or minority. In showing the fluidity and adaptability of Sino-Southeast Asian identities as expressed in performance and public display, Dr Stenberg enriches our understanding of Southeast Asian cultures and art forms, Southeast Asian Chinese identities, and transnational cultural exchanges.

Photograph of two brown cows standing on a jungle path

Improving Food Security in Laos and Cambodia: A Farmer’s Perspective

Associate Professor Russell Bush talks to Dr Natali Pearson about his work towards improving livestock health and food security in Laos and Cambodia, and describes how better livestock management can have a transformative impact on livelihoods.

Myanmar’s Disciplined Democracy and the 2020 Elections

Myanmar is scheduled to hold general elections in November 2020. While the country has experienced political liberalisation since 2011, the lastest Freedom House Report ranked Myanmar as “not free.” Dr Roger Lee Huang talks with Dr Natali Pearson about Myanmar's ongoing regime transition, arguing that the country’s "disciplined democracy" contains features of democratic politics, but at its core remains authoritarian.

Lost Temples of the Jungle: A History of Mrauk-U

Dr Bob Budson speaks to Dr Thushara Dibley about the remote archaeological site of Mrauk-U in Rakhine State, its turbulent history, and how attempts to have it recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site are contributing to peacebuilding efforts in a region torn by civil conflict.

Photograph of Indonesian men on a ship, dressed in blue uniforms, sitting on blue containers, and looking out into the distance. Copyright ILO/R. Azhar 2018 via Flickr

The Street and the Ballot Box: How Indonesia’s Labour Movement Rose from the Ashes

As Indonesia erupts in violent protests over the passing of a controversial new jobs law, Professor Michele Ford reflects on the history of Indonesia’s labour movement, exploring how international support, the post-transition political opportunity structure, and unions’ tactical creativity combined to reinvigorate the labour movement, leading to substantial rises in the minimum wage and some policy success.

Fighting for Social Justice: The Politics of Aid and Gender-Based Violence in the Workplace

Dr Kristy Ward chats with Professor Michele Ford about her research into conflict dynamics and the politics of representation, delving into the disruptive impact of development aid, and the ways in which women in Cambodia and India have sought to negotiate agency and combat gender-based violence in the workplace.

Fighting for Inclusion: Disability Activism in Indonesia

Traditionally and historically, disability has widely been seen and treated as a medical impediment. But in recent years, activists have challenged this notion, emphasizing that 'disability' is the result of the interaction between people living with impairments and an environment filled with physical, attitudinal, communication and social barriers. Dr Thushara Dibley chats with Dr Natali Pearson about disability activism in Indonesia, highlighting the success of local activists in changing Indonesian law and shifting attitudes in the broader population.

Storms and Shipwrecks: The Story of the Tang Treasures

In this episode, Dr Natali Pearson gets on the other side of the mic and chats with Professor Michele Ford about the Tang Shipwreck, how its underwater treasures were salvaged from looting in Indonesia, and the controversies it stirred in the world of maritime cultural heritage.

Wild Cities, Smart Cities: Building a Sustainable Future through Urban Governance

Dr Sophie Webber speaks with Dr Natali Pearson about urban governance, and how urban resilience is being rolled out as a policy solution for cities such as Jakarta and Semarang in Indonesia, that are trying to adapt to the many shocks and stresses associated with urbanisation and climate change.

Fighting for Virtue: Justice and Politics in Thailand

Professor Duncan McCargo speaks to Dr Aim Sinpeng about the world of Thai judges: how they were recruited, trained, and promoted, and how they were socialised into a conservative world view that emphasized the proximity between the judiciary and the monarchy.

Addressing Environmental and Social Harm through Global Governance

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.

The Dilemmas of Post-War Reconstruction in the Sino-Burmese Borderlands

Dr Andres Rodriguez talks to Dr Natali Pearson about the ways in which both China and Burma sought to ‘decolonise’ this ethnically diverse border area, and how its inhabitants presented their own interpretation of emancipation, equality and modernity for the region.

ASEAN Forum 2020 Panel Discussion: Responses to COVID-19 across ASEAN

In this panel discussion, our experts delve deeper into how ASEAN and the countries it comprises have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic at a government level, economically, and in terms of health and livelihoods. They'll be discussing topics ranging from the role of religion in responding to the crisis, how fake news and conspiracy theories have played out in the region, the role of China in combating the pandemic, and more!

The Impact of COVID-19 on People's Livelihoods around ASEAN

As part of SSEAC's annual ASEAN Forum, Associate Professor Jeffrey Neilson (University of Sydney) sat down with SSEAC's Deputy Director, Dr Thushara Dibley, to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people's livelihoods around Southeast Asia.

Health Responses to COVID-19 across ASEAN

As part of SSEAC's annual ASEAN Forum, Associate Professor Gregory Fox (University of Sydney) sat down with SSEAC's Deputy Director, Dr Thushara Dibley, to explore the current and ongoing healthcare impacts of COVID-19 across Southeast Asia.

Weathering Typhoon COVID: The Economic Consequences of COVID-19 for ASEAN

As part of SSEAC's annual ASEAN Forum, Dr Sandra Seno-Alday (University of Sydney) sat down with SSEAC's Deputy Director, Dr Thushara Dibley, to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on economies around Southeast Asia.

Government Responses to COVID-19 across ASEAN

As part of SSEAC's annual ASEAN Forum, Dr Aim Sinpeng (University of Sydney) had a chat with SSEAC's Deputy Director, Dr Thushara Dibley, about government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic around Southeast Asia.

Death and Taxes: Indonesia's Smoking Problem

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.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind? Mental Health Care in Indonesia

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.

Overcoming Motor Neuron Disease in Malaysia

Motor neuron disease (MND) is a devastating disease with no effective cure, 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. 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.

Bringing Justice to Victims of Wartime Sexual Violence in Cambodia

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 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.

The Plain of Jars of Laos: Past, Present and Future

For centuries, thousands of stone jars lay in splendid isolation, admired by villagers and the occasional European explorer. Nowadays the jars are viewed as a unique megalithic manifestation in Mainland Southeast Asia, rather than vessels “made by angels to drink liquors from”. 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 talks about the Plain of Jars of Laos and its future following its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019.

Disaster Resilience and Humanitarian Response in the Philippines

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.

Supporting Sustainable Farming Practices in Cambodia

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.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Southeast Asia's Relations with China

Dr Pichamon Yeophantong looks 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.

Life under COVID-19 in the Philippines

Associate Professor Nicole Curato chats with Dr Natali Pearson about life in the Philippines amid one of the world's toughest coronavirus lockdowns, unpacking the Duterte government’s policies, the impact of the pandemic on Filipino diasporic communities, community responses to the crisis, and how COVID-19 has exacerbated human rights issues in a vastly unequal country.

COVID-19 and HIV/AIDS in Indonesia

Associate Professor Sharyn Davies and Dr Najmah met up with Dr Natali Pearson over Zoom, to discuss the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on healthcare in Indonesia, with a focus on the LGBTIQ community and people living with HIV/AIDS.

The Paradox of Risk in an Interconnected World

As the world struggles with the global repercussions of local events, debates around internationalisation have become ever more relevant. Dr Sandra Seno-Alday sat down with Dr Natali Pearson to explore how different models of international business and economic networks may have distinct implications on economic risk within integrated regions, such as the EU and ASEAN.

Sex, Cyanide and CCTV: A Review of the Jessica Wongso Case

Professor Simon Butt discusses whether Jessica Wongso got a fair trial in Indonesia’s criminal justice system, and debates the influence of the media on criminal trials.

The Materiality of History-Writing in Premodern Java

Jarrah Sastrawan chats with Dr Natali Pearson about the materiality of writing in Indonesia. He argues that the physical conditions of historical documents, such as their durability, the circumstances of their storage, and their capacity for reproduction, have powerfully influenced the development of Javanese historiography as a whole.

The Bearded Turtle - A Discussion of Historiography and Ethnography

Dr Jesse Grayman shares his thoughts on The Bearded Turtle, winner of the 2018 Kusala Sastra Khatulistiwa prize in the prose category. As an anthropologist, but not a historian or literary critic, Dr Jesse Grayman speculates on the possibilities and limits for using such an unwieldy text in contemporary ethnographic analyses of Aceh and Indonesia more broadly.

Cyberconflict and ICT Security in the ASEAN Region

Mr Bart Hogeveen discusses the malicious use of Information and Computer Technologies (ICTs) by state and non-state actors, and how cybersecurity is managed in the ASEAN region.

Digital Technology, Climate Change and the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Dr Michael DiGregorio explains the transformative impacts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), and how digital financial services and new technologies can be used to empower vulnerable communities and improve climate resilience in Southeast Asia.

The Role of History Education in the Development of the Singapore Story

Dr Yeow-Tong Chia chats with Dr Natali Pearson to explore the role of education in the formation of the Singapore developmental state and how it provided a source of inspiration for China’s early modernisation strategies.

Fake News and Freedom of Speech in Singapore

Kirsten Han looks at the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act, and how this law could actually cause further harm to public trust and increase society’s vulnerability to “fake news”.

Who is Left Behind in the Digital Revolution?

Dr Petr Matous discusses his research into the roles that Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and social networks play in contexts with less-efficient institutions and infrastructure, with a view to restructuring such programs to ensure more equitable access.

Social Media and Elections in Southeast Asia

Dr Aim Sinpeng presents her research on online political engagement in Southeast Asian elections, and the role of social media in shaping voting behaviour.

Malaysia 2020: Regime Change, Hope and Democracy in Crisis?

On 19 March 2020, SSEAC hosted an online event discussing the short-lived Pakatan Harapan government and the possible return of kleptocracy in Malaysia. This podcast is an edited audio recording of the event.

The Sino-Malay Literary Tradition (1870-1949)

Dr Tom Hoogervorst speaks to Mr Jarrah Sastrawan about the Sino-Malay literary tradition in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Agribusiness, Anthropology and Activism: An Interview with Dr Chao

Dr Sophie Chao discusses her anthropological research in West Papua, reflecting on the challenges of conducting anthropological research, her transition from activist to academic, and the palm oil industry's impact on the Marind communities of West Papua, Indonesia.

Culture, Food and Environment: Indigenous Experiences of Hunger in West Papua, Indonesia

Dr Sophie Chao speaks to Dr Natali Pearson about the interconnections between processed food, hunger and Indigenous sovereignty in West Papua.

In Conversation with Laksmi Pamuntjak - On Storytelling, Identity and Food

Laksmi Pamuntjak speaks to Dr Natali Pearson about her career, the storytelling process, the challenges of translation, publishing, identity, women's rights and food, among others.

In Conversation with Laksmi Pamuntjak: Fall Baby

Laksmi Pamuntjak speaks to Dr Natali Pearson about her third novel, Fall Baby, and about the intricacies of art, religion, politics and history in a troubled Indonesia, but also about family, identity, motherhood, and the sisterhood of women.

Disability-inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in the Asia-Pacific

The Asia-Pacific is one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world. While some processes are in place to develop disaster risk reduction, some communities remain left out of the process. People with disabilities are often some of the hardest hit when disasters occur due to inadequate policies. Dr Emma Calgaro speaks about her work on promoting disaster risk reduction policies that are inclusive of people with disabilities in the Asia-Pacific region.

Tigers, Sloths, and Sawfish: Using Flagship Species to Conserve the World’s Mangrove Forests

As the world becomes increasingly concerned with the effects of climate change and deforestation, research and protection efforts have tended to focus on a few iconic animals and habitats. But what other innovative strategies can we develop to increase funding and awareness for environment conservation projects? Dr Benjamin Thompson talks about his research into how charismatic megafauna can be used as flagship species for mangrove forest conservation.

ASEAN Forum 2019: Dr Crystal Abidin

Dr Crystal Abidin discusses her research on young people’s relationships with internet celebrity, self-curation, and vulnerability.

Timor-Leste: 2019 update with Prof Clinton Fernandes

Professor Clinton Fernandes sat down with SSEAC's Deputy Director, Dr Elisabeth Kramer, to discuss recent political developments in Timor-Leste.

Malaysia: 2019 update with Tricia Yeoh

Tricia Yeoh discusses Malaysian politics one year on from GE14.

Singapore: 2019 update with Hoe Yeong Loke

Hoe Yeong Loke talks about the recent political developments in Singapore.

Indonesia: 2019 Update with Prof Ed Aspinall

Professor Edward Aspinall sheds light on the historic Indonesian elections and what they mean for the future of democracy in Indonesia.

Photograph of journalists at a press conference in Indonesia

The Journalisms of Islam: Contending Views in Muslim Southeast Asia

Janet Steele discusses Islamic journalism in Indonesia and Malaysia.

The Philippines: 2018 update with Jayeel Cornelio

Jayeel Corenelio talks to Natali Pearson about the political situation in the Philippines.

Malaysia: 2018 update with Bridget Welsh

Bridget Welsh explains the details behind the 'story of the year', Malaysia's GE14.

Cambodia: 2018 update with Lee Morgenbesser

Lee Morgenbesser talks the death of democracy, media censorship and dictatorship in Cambodia.

Indonesia: 2018 update with Charlotte Setijadi

Charlotte Setijadi talks Indonesian politics after Ahok and the way forward for Jokowi.

rivers, air and forests in Southeast Asia

Planet versus profit: striking a balance

A multidisciplinary panel of experts examines the role and responsibilities in balancing environmental sustainability and economic growth in Southeast Asia. What part can – and should - Australia play in negotiating the tensions between economic growth and environmental sustainability?