Rephonic
Artwork for Ear to Asia
Indonesia
Climate Change
China
Deforestation
Chinese International Students
Palm Oil
Biodiversity
Prabowo Subianto
Mining
Food Security
United States
India
Russia
Australia
Academic Challenges
Language Barriers
Pulpwood Plantations
AI Governance
Southeast Asia
Statelessness

On Ear to Asia, we talk with Asia experts to unpack the issues behind news headlines in a region that is rapidly changing the world. Ear to Asia is produced by Asia Institute, the Asia research specialists at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes172Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureNewsPolitics

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Artwork for Ear to Asia

Latest Episodes

The history of the Pacific Ocean is often told as a story of isolated islands like French Polynesia or Hawaii, or as a mere backdrop to European discovery. But what if it's a central maritime world—a network of interconnections and struggles spanning... more

For decades, Indonesia has defined its place in the world through "bebas dan aktif", meaning "free and active" — a foreign policy that's both independent and engaged, positioning itself as a bridge between major powers while avoiding formal alignment... more

Climate change is increasingly more than an environmental crisis — its human dimension is fast becoming one of the defining legal and political challenges of our era. Tens of millions are already displaced by floods, droughts, and rising seas, while ... more

Across Southeast Asia, vast compounds have emerged as the nerve centers of large-scale online fraud, run by transnational crime syndicates with links to ethnic Chinese networks. Their targets are ordinary people across Asia and beyond, ensnared in sc... more

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Recent Guests

Dr. Lewis Mayo
Asia historian from Asia Institute
Asia Institute, University of Melbourne
Episode: Rethinking empire, extraction and identity in the Pacific: A New History
Radityo Dharmaputra
Senior researcher, Centre for European and Eurasian Studies
Universitas Airlangga, Indonesia
Episode: Principle or pragmatism in Indonesia’s foreign policy choices?
Aristyo Dharmawan
Lecturer, Faculty of Law; PhD scholar
Universitas Indonesia; Australian National University
Episode: Principle or pragmatism in Indonesia’s foreign policy choices?
Radha Govil
Associate Professor, statelessness researcher
Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness, Melbourne Law School
Episode: Citizens of nowhere: how climate change is creating a new generation of the stateless
Aashish Yadhav
Statelessness researcher
Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness, Melbourne Law School
Episode: Citizens of nowhere: how climate change is creating a new generation of the stateless
Ivan Franceschini
Dr. from the Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies at Asia Institute
Asia Institute, University of Melbourne
Episode: Compound Capitalism: Inside Southeast Asia's Fraud Factories
Ling Li
Ph.D. candidate at Ca' Foscari University of Venice
Ca' Foscari University of Venice
Episode: Compound Capitalism: Inside Southeast Asia's Fraud Factories
Eric Gutierrez
Social geographer, University of Melbourne
School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Melbourne
Episode: How are rice farmers faring in the Philippines?
Wolfram Dressler
Professor of Geography, University of Melbourne
School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Melbourne
Episode: How are rice farmers faring in the Philippines?

Host

Sami Shah
Host of Ear to Asia

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 87 ratings
  • A very good program to learn English and know the Asia

    It is really high quality show made by UoM. The sound of the program is clear and free from noise.The speakers they invite know Asian affairs very well.The topic it adopts is prevailing and attached to the reality. It is extraordinary among other free podcast programs.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    哈哈偶呵呵
    Australia3 years ago
  • Values judgements displacing analysis

    In the last year, extreme values judgements made by hosts and guests on the show have been displacing the political analysis that first characterized this show.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Aquateenwhateveryeah
    United States5 years ago
  • Much more nuance expected

    Generally this program airs a much needed insider perspective and expertise on Asia and being Asian relevant to Australian listeners. But the Migrants from China episode was frustrating and would have been much better if a working definition or explanation of “Chineseness” for the purpose of the podcast was included. The interviewer kept trying to “focus” the discussion on”mainland Chinese” while the panel were saying its not straightforward- as are most issues with identity. What do you call s... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Wendy5Dock
    Australia6 years ago
  • Fascinating

    Fascinating survey of the issues in Asia that matter to the world. Great guest, well interviewed and produced. Always insightful and educational!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    slingamp
    Australia6 years ago
  • Excellent podcast! Warmly recommended

    Great work

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jogu-rt
    United Kingdom6 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Impressively unpacks Asia-related issues beyond mainstream headlines.
Stories are fascinating and educational with strong guest interviews.
Warmly recommended and well-produced.
High-quality show with clear sound and knowledgeable guests.
Listener notes that some episodes lack working definitions for nuanced terms.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#103
Indonesia/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How are rice farmers faring in the Philippines?
Q: In this episode, how are rice farmers faring in the Philippines?
Farmers face a combination of price volatility, policy misalignment, and high production costs, which erode profitability and stability. While there is significant smallholder involvement and agroecological potential, government programs often fail to support farmers' marketing needs and land rights, limiting their ability to invest and sustain livelihoods. Yet there is optimism in seeing how farmers adapt through diversification, local knowledge, and context-specific technologies.
Navigating East Asian names in a Western world
Q: How does this grammatical requirement shape social interactions in ways that might surprise speakers of other languages?
Honorifics and address terms in Japanese send social messages about positioning in relationships, impacting social interactions significantly.
Navigating East Asian names in a Western world
Q: What is the process like for millions of people who'd never had family names before when the Japanese government required all citizens to adopt surnames?
The introduction of surnames was challenging and seen as a means for the government to keep records and exert control over the population.
Navigating East Asian names in a Western world
Q: How did this cultural transmission work and what did it mean for local naming traditions?
Chinese characters spread across East Asia, influencing naming traditions in Japan, Korea and Vietnam, where local literacy systems developed based on classical Chinese.
Profit, Politics, and the Future of Indonesia's Rainforests
Q: How does Jakarta go about improving food security for its growing population?
Jakarta is accelerating projects like food estates, which are ambitious but controversial, causing strain on the budget and raising concerns about the environmental impact.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Ear to Asia

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

A briefing staple for listeners who want to understand how Asia's political, legal, and environmental issues intersect with global developments. Recent episodes span long-run Pacific histories, Indonesia's shifting foreign policy, statelessness and climate mobility, Southeast Asia's scam economies, Philippine agriculture, India's strategic autonomy, and naming practices in East Asia. The conversations tend to foreground researchers, policy thinkers, and regional observers, offering rigorous analysis, contextual case studies, and clear linkages to current headlines. A notable strength is the mix of archival historical framing with contemporary policy debates, plus a recurring emphasis on governance, governance challenges, and human impacts a... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Ear to Asia?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Ear to Asia:

1. The World
2. The Asia Chessboard
3. Australia in the World
4. The Global Story
5. Global News Podcast

How many episodes of Ear to Asia are there?

Ear to Asia launched 10 years ago and published 172 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 Ear to Asia?

Recent guests on Ear to Asia include:

1. Dr. Lewis Mayo
2. Radityo Dharmaputra
3. Aristyo Dharmawan
4. Radha Govil
5. Aashish Yadhav
6. Ivan Franceschini
7. Ling Li
8. Eric Gutierrez

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