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Asia Rising

La Trobe Asia
China
United States
Australia
India
Taiwan
Philippines
ASEAN
Aukus
Southeast Asia
South China Sea
Asia
Xi Jinping
North Korea
Russia
South Korea
Donald Trump
Indonesia
Belt and Road Initiative
Indo-Pacific
Human Trafficking

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes382Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsPolitics

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Artwork for Asia Rising

Latest Episodes

In an increasingly contested global environment, the international community faces growing pressure to respond to current and emerging wars and instability across the full conflict spectrum: from prevention, to managing active conflict, to post-confl... more

Over the past two decades, China and India have undergone one of the most dramatic expansions of engineering education in human history. In 2020 alone, India awarded 1.5 million science and engineering degrees, and China awarded 2 million.

In Chin... more

Tibet's story is one of the most profound of the modern era — a civilisation forced into exile, carrying its language, philosophy, and sacred texts across the Himalayas in an act of collective survival. Preserving that heritage, while also engaging t... more

China's new Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress mandates Mandarin as the language of education, encourages the breakup of minority-majority neighbourhoods, and criminalises expressions of ethnic separatism — including by Chinese citizens livin... more

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Recent Guests

Anna Naupa
Research and Engagement Fellow at the Pacific Security College, ANU; Advisory Board Member for the Centre for Human Security and Social Change
Australian National University / La Trobe University
Episode: Event: Navigating Conflict in a Contested World
Michelle Burgis-Kasthala
Professor at La Trobe Law School; specialist in international law and Middle East and North Africa
La Trobe University
Episode: Event: Navigating Conflict in a Contested World
Trissia Wijaya
McKinsey Research Fellow, Asia Institute, University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
Episode: Event: When Engineers Shape Asia
Abhiram Haridas
PhD candidate
IIT Kanpur
Episode: Event: When Engineers Shape Asia
Geshe Lhakdor
Director of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, former Dalai Lama translator
Library of Tibetan Works and Archives (Dhanasala)
Episode: Interview: Preserving Tibetan Culture and Knowledge
James Leibold
Professor of Politics and Asian Studies at La Trobe University; expert on ethnicity, nationalism and minority policy in contemporary China
La Trobe University
Episode: Interview: Ethnic Unity and Assimilation in China
Lupita Wijaya
Research fellow at the La Trobe Centre for Global Security and coordinator of the Southeast Asian Maritime Media Visits Project
La Trobe University
Episode: Interview: How the Media Shapes Territory in Asia
Nick Bisley
Author, Professor of International Relations at La Trobe University
La Trobe University
Episode: Book Launch: Asian Crucible: Globalization, Geopolitics and the Contest for the Future
John Brumby
Chancellor of La Trobe University; former Premier of Victoria
La Trobe University
Episode: Book Launch: Asian Crucible: Globalization, Geopolitics and the Contest for the Future

Hosts

Matt Smith
Host of Asia Rising, affiliated with La Trobe Asia; frequently moderates discussions and conducts interviews with prominent academics and policymakers.
Bec Strating
Director of the La Trobe Centre for Global Security / La Trobe Asia; contributes expert perspectives on policy and regional security.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 94 ratings
  • Great show!

    Terrific hosts and diverse topics.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    lllllaaaaawwwwww
    Australia5 years ago
  • Great Podcast!

    As an American I hadn’t heard of La Trobe University prior to subscribing to Matt Smith’s “Emperors of Rome” podcast series. Looking for more fresh content, I decided to check out La Trobe’s other offerings and have been really pleased with the Asia Rising podcast. Asia wasn’t on my radar as a podcast listener but this podcast got me hooked. The guests on the show are superb. It’s also a real plus to learn about contemporary Asia from a non-American perspective in order to get a more neutral tak... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JTBis
    United States5 years ago
  • The guests are usually academics with special insights into the political, economical, and social issues that are shaping the East and Southeast Asian region. I like that there's an Australian perspective because they've got a unique stance as the most "Western" nation in the area. The archives are a trove with lots of interesting episodes that are often even more interesting to listen to with hindsight. It's a great current events podcast that continues to teach me new things.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Robbie
    6 years ago
  • Lots of good info

    I'm a Yank and thus suffer from an extremely inward-facing and myopic news media, so there aren't a lot of ways for me to learn about the contemporary Asian political landscape. It's been a joy listening to Asia Rising the past few years. I've learned a ton about India under modi, water rights along the Himalayas, the aftemath of the recent Thai coup, and all sorts of other interesting topics. Matt Smith and the various other hosts do well to bring out the best of their many interesting guests. ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Smell what the Brock is cookin
    United States6 years ago
  • Sponsored by China?

    Caveat emptor: this podcast presents some balanced viewpoints and others which come straight from the PRC propaganda. Many speakers simply refuse to acknowledge China’s influence operations in Australia as a danger or their influence over ASEAN members as a concern. Maybe because their livelihoods depend on not seeing it?

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Mikka R.
    United States7 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Thoughtful, well-researched perspectives on Asia-Pacific affairs with strong academic grounding.
A few critiques note occasional bias or political posture in some guest selections, but overall quality remains strong.
Listeners appreciate balanced analyses that go beyond surface-level headlines and include geopolitical context.
Guest lineup is consistently high-caliber, offering nuanced takes from diverse parts of the region.
Production and theme music are frequently praised as professional and engaging.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#79
Ukraine/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#153
China/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#156
Hong Kong/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#166
Ukraine/News
Apple Podcasts
#177
Indonesia/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Event: Navigating Conflict in a Contested World
Q: Do you think that the role of middle powers has been overestimated during the multipolar moment, and how can Australia assert itself when prosperous allies may undermine rules-based order?
Middle powers can and should call out violations by all parties, leverage multilateral and civil-society pathways, and pursue concrete actions in trade, human rights standards for minerals, and peacebuilding; the balance requires honest assessment of institutions and strategic partnerships.
Event: Navigating Conflict in a Contested World
Q: Do you consider the current intelligence and military diplomacy frameworks as efficient and adequate to function as early warning systems for potentially new hotspots of diplomatic and commerce energy related disruptions?
Publicly discussed early warning systems tend to emphasize interstate dimensions; there is a need to broaden them to capture societal and political drivers, and to integrate non-traditional security threats with development insights.
Event: Navigating Conflict in a Contested World
Q: Do any of the present intergovernmental agreements use or acknowledge the idea of slow violence? What are the most efficient ways that non-traditional security issues like this can be put on their agenda?
There are existing frameworks in UN and World Bank OECD circles that address the relationship between security and development and recognize that security is not merely absence of violence but embedded peace within societies, even if not labeled as 'slow violence' explicitly.
Book Launch: The Dragon's Emerging Order: Sino-centric Multilateralism and Global Responses
Q: What are the practical implications of BRI for development finance compared to Western aid?
BRI uses a non-interference, flexible approach with loans dominating financial flows; while Western aid often imposes governance conditions, BRI's language emphasizes cooperation and inclusiveness, though outcomes vary and debates persist about sustainability and governance.
Interview: How the Media Shapes Territory in Asia
Q: So how does emotional storytelling and viral narratives influence audiences in security issues?
Emotional storytelling engages audiences and drives engagement metrics, making certain narratives travel further and become more influential in how people perceive threats and legitimacy of actions.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Asia Rising

What is Asia Rising about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program offers in-depth conversations on Asian geopolitics, security, economics, and regional dynamics, frequently tying current events to broader historical and policy contexts. Episodes showcase expert perspectives from academia, think tanks, and government-affiliated institutions, covering topics like maritime security, great-power competition, regional cooperation, and the evolving influence of major players in the Indo-Pacific. A standout theme is the emphasis on nuanced, evidence-based analysis from a La Trobe-affiliated perspective, often prioritizing multilateral approaches, climate considerations, and grey-zone challenges over sensationalism. The show tends to attract listeners who want rigorous, academically grounded discussi... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Asia Rising?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Asia Rising:

1. Lowy Institute
2. The National Security Podcast
3. Australia in the World
4. Asia Geopolitics
5. Global Roaming with Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald

How many episodes of Asia Rising are there?

Asia Rising launched 12 years ago and published 382 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Asia Rising?

Recent guests on Asia Rising include:

1. Anna Naupa
2. Michelle Burgis-Kasthala
3. Trissia Wijaya
4. Abhiram Haridas
5. Geshe Lhakdor
6. James Leibold
7. Lupita Wijaya
8. Nick Bisley

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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