Media
Duterte a law unto himself
As a populist, Duterte’s erosion of the rule of law is no surprise. Since Rodrigo Duterte became president of the Philippines on 30 June, the country’s already compromised rule of law has taken a...
A storm of bullets, a wave of apathy
Duterte is gaining in the war on drugs, but at a terrifying cost to Filipino society. The Philippines is drowning in a wave of killings as the government of the newly-proclaimed President Rodrigo...
Women and violent extremism
Do women engage in terrorism for a cause or for the sake of violence? If recent reports are to be believed, Islamic State may be on the decline. After sowing chaos in the region with its deadly mix...
Martyrs’ Day a wake-up call
For the first time, it was held under a National League for Democracy-backed government. After several decades of absence, it was also the first time the commander-in-chief attended. And, for the...
How should Southeast Asia respond to the South China Sea ruling?
Southeast Asia has descended into a maritime insecurity spiral since the April–June 2012 stand-off at Scarborough Shoal between Chinese maritime security forces and the Philippine Navy, which...
Breathtaking but counterproductive: the South China Sea arbitration award
Anthony Bergin wrote here on The Strategist that The Hague award in The Philippines v China arbitration case is a heavy defeat for Beijing. The award is breathtaking in its overwhelming support for...
Washington welcome as China flexes muscle in Southeast Asia’s waters
America needs to deepen and sustain its strategic interests in Southeast Asia in response to a strong regional demand for a robust American presence, especially in light of China’s growing military,...
Keeping friends close, Thailand closer
It says something profound about the region that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s first international trips as state counsellor and foreign minister have required photo ops with Southeast Asian dictators....
Money, manipulation and misunderstanding on Manus Island
Last month, trauma expert Paul Stevenson told the Guardian that the “atrocity” of Australia’s offshore asylum-seeker processing regime on Manus Island and Nauru was the worst he’d seen in...
Brexit shows the vandals aren't at the gates; they’re the ones in power
Political leaders who jettison facts undermine the very fabric of our democracies and threaten our future, writes Mathew Davies. In the run-up to Britain’s referendum on the EU, Michael Gove,...
