Ear to Asia

China has been cracking down hard on Uyghur and other Muslim groups in its far northwestern region of Xinjiang. But what’s the real history of the Uyghur people? How do they view themselves culturally and politically alongside the dominant Han Chinese nation? China watchers Dr David Brophy and Dr Lewis Mayo join host Ali Moore to discuss the long and evolving relations between the Uyghurs and Chinese authorities.

An Asia Institute podcast.

Produced by Profactual - the Podcasting Specialists.

Music by audionautix.com.

How do international aid agencies operate on the ground in Myanmar, with its its complex, unstable and sometimes hostile political and social environment? Anthropologist Dr Anne Décobert and civil society expert Dr Tamas Wells join host Ali Moore to examine the aims and realities of foreign humanitarian efforts in a poor but resource-rich country beset by ethnic conflict. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

Thae Yong-ho, North Korea’s highest ranking defector, joins us in the studio to share his unique insights into North Korean society and how it’s been shaped by the Kim family. He also sheds light on North Korea’s nuclear program, Pyongyang’s relations with the US and China, and what a more “positive” future for the Korean peninsula might look like. Presented by Peter Clarke.

An Asia Institute podcast.

Produced by Profactual - the Podcasting Specialists.

Music by audionautix.com.

In Indonesia, as in many other developing economies, the resources sector makes millionaires or billionaires of the few, and often leaves the many to eke out a subsistence. In a country highly dependent on exports of petroleum, palm oil, timber and tin, what are the local dynamics at play in the global game of resource extraction? Political economist Dr Rachael Diprose, and transnational governance expert Dr Kate Macdonald join host Ali Moore to discuss.

An Asia Institute podcast.

Produced by Profactual - the Podcasting Specialists.

Music by audionautix.com.

In the Asia-Pacific region, it’s estimated that one in every six people is living with a debilitating physical or cognitive impairment, and that figure is set to grow. So what is the lived experience of people with disabilities and the people who support them in these challenging environments? Population health researchers Dr. Cathy Vaughn and Alex Devine, and social entrepreneur and polio survivor Huy Nguyen, discuss the plight of people with disabilities in Asia. Presented by Ali Moore. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

In Indonesia, what’s the relationship between growing dominance of social media, greater commitment to neoliberal economic policies, and increasing religious conservatism? Indonesia media analyst Dr. Inaya Rakhmani discusses how Facebook and other social media are being harnessed for political gain in a system awash with fake news. Presented by Ali Moore.

An Asia Institute podcast.

Produced and edited by Profactual - the Podcasting Specialists.

Music by audionautix.com.

Sufism, the mystical tradition of Islam, may bring to mind the poetry of Rumi or Turkey’s whirling dervishes, but what are its practices and beliefs? Who are its detractors in the greater Muslim world, and why do some in the West see it as a panacea for political Islam? Dr Muhammad Kamal and Dr Shirin Yasar examine the origins of and contemporary attitudes to Sufism. Presented by Ali Moore.

An Asia Institute podcast

Produced by Profactual - the Podcasting Specialists

Music by audionautix.com

To many observers, Xi Jinping’s leadership appears to be a throwback to the Mao Zedong era. But is it fair to compare Xi’s methods with Mao’s? Or is Xi’s iron-fisted rule just what China needs? China researchers Prof Tim Cheek and Dr Delia Lin examine Xi Jin Ping’s method and motives. Presented by Ali Moore.

An Asia Institute podcast

Produced and edited by Profactual - the Podcasting Specialists

Music by audionautix.com

The complexity and hybrid nature of language in Indonesia means the Indonesian language still vies with other tongues—and even with itself—in the choices people make about how they express themselves. Sociolinguists Assoc. Prof. Novi Djenar and Dr. Michael Ewing examine how the national language is faring in the hyper-polyglot archipelago. Presented by Peter Clarke.

An Asia Institute Podcast.

Produced and edited by Profactual - the Podcasting Specialists.

Music by audionautix.com.

Ethnic Koreans have made up a substantial part of Japan’s urban populations for generations. And while many get on with their lives among the Japanese, their unique status continues to present challenges to how they fit in and how they see themselves. Sociologist Assoc. Prof. Nana Oishi and historian Dr. Jonathan Glade examine the fates and fortunes of Zainichi Koreans. Presented by Peter Clarke.

An Asia Institute podcast.

Produced and edited by Profactual - the Podcasting Specialists.

Music by audionautix.com.