On 11 August 2021, the Monash International Affairs Society hosted an illuminating panel discussion on the world of sports diplomacy and its myriad possibilities as a branch of Australian diplomatic strategy in the Indo-Pacific. In this article, Jerry Nguyen-Schlenker, Winuri de Alwis and Arshiya Merchant review this highly stimulating event and delve deeper into the ideas it presented. … Continue readingMIAS Recap: Sports Diplomacy Event
In August 2018, a bipartisan group of 16 US senators cited “the dangers of China’s debt-trap diplomacy” stating that “it is imperative that the United States counters China’s attempts to hold other countries financially hostage and force ransoms that further its geostrategic goals.” Is China providing debt to African countries as a means of obtaining valuable geostrategic assets or are they engaging in a mutually beneficial relationship that is in their economic and geostrategic interest? … Continue readingCHINESE LENDING IN AFRICA: A BLESSING OR A TRAP?
Content warning: violence, warfare, distressing images At the podium of one of his characteristic rallies, Donald Trump told his audience in Alabama: “Can anyone even imagine taking out our military before evacuating civilians and others who have been good to our country and who should … Continue readingFor the Love of Humanity: The Innocent Faces of Afghanistan
As many countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom continue their vaccination campaigns and move closer to becoming post-Covid societies, it has become increasingly clear just how stark the divide between developed and developing nations is, and how COVID-19 is no longer an equal threat to everyone, but instead a something that developed nations no longer need to worry about, while the rest of the world is left to suffer. … Continue readingGlobal Vaccine Inequality: ‘And the Weak Suffer What They Must’?
Twenty years, four Presidents and over 180,000 casualties later, the United States is officially leaving Afghanistan. The 2001 Invasion of Afghanistan and subsequent War has been the US’s longest conflict. It has further been one of the most consequential events in recent history, responsible for spurring the boundless War on Terror. However, to truly realise the immense repercussions of this momentous occasion, it would serve us to look back at how we got to today. … Continue readingHISTORY REPEATS ITSELF: THE US WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN
Successive Australian governments have been no stranger to condemnation for their hard-line stance on asylum seekers. They make no apology for it, cloaking their policies in a robe of ostensible utilitarianism. However, in recent months, the Coalition has faced strong backlash both domestically and internationally for its treatment of the Murugappan family, who have come to be known simply as the “Biloela Family”. This is in reference to the Queensland town in which they were working and residing before being placed in detention. This latest bookmark in Australia’s uncompromising approach towards asylum seekers has raised questions about the authenticity of its commitment to various international instruments. … Continue reading#HOMETOBILO – A TURNING POINT IN AUSTRALIA’S ASYLUM SEEKER POLICIES?
Sports diplomacy has become a feature of international relations that is often brushed aside compared to traditional conceptions of diplomacy. Historically, it has had an important influence in acting as an arm of soft power. Specifically, sport has been used to influence cultural exchanges and political values among nations. Now, Australia has become a frontrunner in recognising the importance that sports can play in soft power. … Continue readingSports: Australia’s Diplomatic Tool
A the recent G7 Summit, leaders claimed that “Diplomacy is back”. Given that this was the first time in two years that leaders had met in person, the opportunity was seized to discuss what they considered to be the world’s most pressing issues, including vaccine inequity, climate change, global taxes, and current conflicts. Most central to this claim, however, was the announcement of the ‘Build Back Better World’ infrastructure initiative. … Continue readingThe ‘Build Back Better World’ Initiative: Is Diplomacy ‘Back’?
Antonio de los Baños on July 11, situated in relatively close proximity to Havana. Fed up Cubans protested on the streets to oppose the frequent electrical blackouts and lack of access to COVID-19 vaccines. The island Nation has seen a spike in cases in recent weeks Due to the rapid-fire nature of social media, word of the protests spread like wildfire across Cuba, the US and the world alike with #CubaSOS trending amongst locals, the Cuban diaspora and the wider international community. … Continue readingWHAT IS HAPPENING IN CUBA?
As the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics commenced last night, protests throughout the Japanese capital opposed what many considered to be a risky imposition during a global pandemic. This comes as Japan records over 5,000 new COVID-19 cases per day, a spike which saw spectators banned from Olympic events. This begs the question whether it was wise for the Japanese Government and the International Olympic Committee to continue with the Games. The simple answer is not one based on logic. It has its roots in the romanticism of sports as a uniting force and the need to distract billions from the devastation and gloom they are suffering. … Continue readingTHE WORLD NEEDS IT | THE CASE FOR TOKYO 2020