The cow is a sacred animal in India with nearly 80% of its Hindu population abstaining from eating beef and worshiping the animal for its production of milk. Surprisingly enough, the country has become the world's largest exporter of beef products, exporting more than 2 million tonnes a year and consuming just as much.

Why is India selling the sacred cow? Dr Yamini Narayanan (DECRA Senior Fellow at the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation at Deakin University) talks to Matt Smith about this clash of ideals which have become a topic of controversy, corruption and murder in India.

Selling India's Sacred Cow

Asia Rising, the podcast of La Trobe Asia which takes a critical look at the key issues facing Asia's states and societies.

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In recent years, the English-speaking world has become wildly enthusiastic about India. India is a trusted ally, ‘the world’s largest democracy’, and it’s the ‘democratic counterweight’ to China.

Despite these pronouncements, India has continually defied and confounded the expectations of the English-speaking world. Dr Alexander Davis, (New Generation Network research fellow with La Trobe University Department of Politics and Philosophy and the Australia India Institute) speaks to Matt Smith about the English-speaking world's 'India problem'.

Follow Alex Davis on Twitter: @AlexEDavisNGN
Follow La Trobe Asia on Twitter: @latrobeasia

India and the English-Speaking World



The Great Wall has long been a symbol of China, but a problematic one - an authentic experience can be hard to find, and in the modern day China wants to be seen as open and inviting, but a wall closes off, and keeps people out.

Associate Professor James Leibold (Department of Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University) and Dr Graeme Smith (Research Fellow at the Australian National University) take Matt Smith on a tour of the Great Wall of China.

Follow James Leibold on Twitter: @jleibold
Follow Graeme Smith on Twitter: @GraemeKSmith
Follow La Trobe Asia on Twitter: @latrobeasia

The Great Wall of China



Globalisation and major power rivalry are creating a China-centric integrated Asian strategic system, drawing together the once-discrete theatres of Northeast, Southeast, South and Central Asia. Nationalist ambition among the region’s giants will make integrated Asia an unstable place where cooperation among the great powers will be much harder to achieve than in the past.

Professor Nick Bisley (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) speaks to Dr Andrew Carr (Senior Lecturer, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University) about changing strategic geography.

This podcast was recorded live at the launch the new Centre of Gravity Paper ‘Integrated Asia’ by Nick Bisley, on 20th June, 2017.

Download the paper from the Centre of Gravity website.

Follow Nick Bisley on Twitter: @NickBisley
Follow Andrew Carr on Twitter: @AOCarr

Integrated Asia (live)



Is Tibetanness under threat? As more young Tibet are lured towards a dominant Chinese education, Tibetans are faced with hard realities of ethnocultural survival.

Dr Adrian Zenz (European School of Culture and Theology, Germany) speaks to Associate Professor James Leibold (Politics, La Trobe University) about the challenges facing Tibetan language and culture in China.

Follow Adrian Zenz on Twitter: @adrianzenz
Follow James Leibold on Twitter: @jleibold

Tibetan Culture in China Under Threat



On 14 May this year 33 world leaders gathered in Beijing for what has been touted as the inaugural Belt and Road Forum for international Cooperation. Billed as the biggest diplomatic event in China this year the summit was ostensibly about improving economic integration between East and West and providing leadership to a global economy going through difficult times.

Dr Luca Anceschi (Lecturer in Central Asian Studies, University of Glasgow) joins Professor Nick Bisley (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) to discuss the Belt and Road Initiative and its potential to usher in a new era of Chinese global dominance.

Follow Luca Anceschi on Twitter: @anceschistan
Follow Nick Bisley on Twitter: @nickbisley

Selling India's Sacred Cow

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