A New Indian Government: The Election Results and their Implications

May 30, 2009 in Indian Election 2009 by Asia Society | No comments

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                                                                                                                   (Narinder Nanu/AFP/Getty Images)

An election of such magnitude is worth looking into…

On June 4th 2009, Asia Society will be holding a discussion forum at their New York Center, with an esteemed panel of experts who would be looking into the recent elections that commenced on the 16th of May.

India, wrapped up her 15th annual general election with a remarkable voter turnout resulting in a sweeping victory for the National Congress Party. A wave of optimism swept across the nation as the masses witnessed the swearing in of the incumbent prime minister, Manmohan Singh. The logistics of the election stunned the world as some 400 million Indians cast their votes in the hopes of improving the current gloomy aura that has enveloped the nation post 26/11 Mumbai attacks and the economy. As the advancement of technology is making the world a more smaller and “flatter” place, more and more people are voicing their opinions consequently putting immense pressure on the present political party which won the largest bloc of parliamentary seats in New Delhi, India.

The panel which includes Kanchan Chandra, Associate Professor, Wilf Family Department of Politics, New York University; Pramit Pal Chaudhuri, Senior Editor, the Hindustan Times (via teleconference) and Sanjay Ruparelia, Assistant Professor, Political Science and Faculty Fellow, the India China Institute, New School for Social Research would address and analyze the results of the election and perspective strategies the new government would adopt in order to carry out the issues and challenges posed to them.

Asia Society is looking to make this event interactive so please share your thoughts, suggestions or your analysis of the election here.

What steps do you think the government should take in order to accomplish the tasks set forth by the people on both the domestic and international front?

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U.S.-China Cooperation on Global Climate Change

May 26, 2009 in Climate Change by Asia Society | No comments

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(Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images)

There is now increased optimism for US-China cooperation on the issue of climate change. As the world’s largest producer of greenhouse gases, there is no doubt that China plays an important role in global climate change today. However, without the assistance of the U.S. (the second largest emitter), the goal of reducing climate change would be impossible.

Earlier this year, Asia Society, along with the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, produced A Roadmap for US-China Cooperation and Climate Change. Hillary Clinton, the new Secretary of State, has also recently visited China with the issue in mind. According to Clinton, “the United States and China will build an important partnership to develop and deploy clean energy technologies designed to speed our transformation to low-carbon economies.”

On Monday, June 1st, the Asia Society will hold a discussion panel on China’s role in the global climate game. The discussion will be led by Jeffrey D. Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University. A live video webcast will also be available on the homepage of AsiaSociety.org that day.

How can the U.S. and China cooperate to effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Should China be held responsible for the factories that produce exports by foreign companies?

Post your questions here and Asia Society may share them during the discussion with Jeffrey D. Sachs.

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Water: Asia’s Next Challenge

April 20, 2009 in Water Security in Asia by Asia Society | 3,237 comments

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(China Photos/Getty Images)

The global demand for fresh water is soaring as supply is becoming more uncertain. Water-related problems are particularly acute in Asia, the world’s most populous continent, and climate change is expected to worsen the situation.

Experts project that reduced access to fresh water will lead to  impaired food production, the loss of livelihood security, large- scale migration within and across borders, and increased geopolitical tensions and instabilities. According to a new report released by Asia Society’s Leadership Group on Water Security in Asia, these effects will have a profound impact on security throughout the region.

What water-related challenges is your country facing? How is your government addressing the crisis, and what do you think should be done to secure Asia’s water future?

Share your thoughts here.

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Crisis in Sri Lanka

April 10, 2009 in Sri Lanka Crisis by Asia Society | 3,250 comments

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(Lakruwan Wanniarachchi/AFP/Getty Images)

BBC News reports that Sri Lanka’s government has declared a temporary halt to its offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels in the north-east. The move, which aims to let civilians leave the conflict zone safely, comes in view of Sinhala New Year celebrations that start on Monday, the government said.

The authorities had been under pressure from the UN, US and other countries to allow a humanitarian pause to allow civilians time to leave the conflict zone.

On Wednesday, April 15, the Asia Society held a discussion on the ongoing military operation against the L.T.T.E., the resulting humanitarian situation and the post-war political scenario. Watch the video of the complete program here.

The Sri Lankan military believes it’s on the verge of crushing the long-running rebel campaign. Does a post-LTTE political scenario offer a greater likelihood for a lasting political solution? What are the areas of critical humanitarian issues that require immediate attention?

Share your thoughts and your questions for panelists Ahilan Kadrigamar (Sri Lanka Democracy Forum),  Alan Keenan (Sri Lanka Sr. Analyst, International Crisis Group) and V. V. Ganeshananthan (South Asian Journalists Association) here.

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Questions for Alibaba’s Jack Ma

March 10, 2009 in Jack Ma by Asia Society | 17 comments

jackma(worldeconomicforum/flickr)

As founder and CEO of Alibaba Group, Jack Ma heads China’s biggest ecommerce company. Headquartered in Hangzhou, China, Alibaba controls Yahoo! China, Taobao.com, the country’s top consumer web site, and Alibaba.com, the world’s largest business-to-business marketplace. Businessweek called him one of the “The 25 Most Influential People on the Web.”

During a two-week trip to the US to meet with prospective partners, including Google, Yahoo, eBay and Microsoft, Ma is coming to the Asia Society on Thursday, March 12 to discuss entrepreneurship, technological innovation and the future of the global ecommerce industry.

Have questions for “China’s Internet Godfather”? Wondering what he thinks about the current financial crisis or if he’s planning to crack the US market (and compete with eBay) with his auction site Taobao.com?

Post your questions here and Asia Society may share them during the discussion with Jack Ma.

To view the complete video, visit the program page.

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Does ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ Deserve the Backlash?

February 20, 2009 in Slumdog Millionaire by Asia Society | 20 comments

Director Danny Boyle with the cast of Slumdog Millionaire (Pal Pillai/AFP/Getty Images)

Director Danny Boyle with the cast of Slumdog Millionaire (Pal Pillai/AFP/Getty Images)

With 10 Oscar nominations (and major wins at the Golden Globes and SAG Awards), there’s no doubt that Slumdog Millionaire is a frontrunner at this year’s Academy Awards, which will be held this Sunday, February 22. But even as an overwhelming favorite, the film has found itself fighting off a backlash–especially in India.

As Americans gush over the Danny Boyle-directed film, with its rags-to-riches theme, Indians have criticized the negative depiction of their country in SDM, which they say highlight squalor, corruption and impoverished-if-resilient citizens. Time magazine reported that the film was “no hit” in India, with only 25 percent of theater seats occupied.

Bollywood icon Amitahb Bachchan was was one of the first to criticize the film, saying on his blog for the India Times, “If Slumdog Millionaire projects India as Third World dirty underbelly developing nation and causes pain and disgust among nationalists and patriots, let it be known that a murky underbelly exists and thrives even in the most developed nations.”

What do you think? Is the Slumdog Millionaire backlash fair or foul? Is it a feel-good film deserving of its accolades, or do you agree with the London Times when they called it “poverty porn?”

Share you thoughts here.

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What Secretary Clinton Should Know About Asia

February 10, 2009 in Hillary Clinton Visits Asia by Asia Society | 35 comments

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(Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will visit Japan, South Korea, China and Indonesia this month on her first overseas trip in her new role, a signal of President Barack Obama’s eagerness to strengthen ties in Asia. Secretary Clinton will visit the four countries starting February 15, with the global financial crisis, climate change and efforts to get North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons topping her agenda.

On the eve of her visit to Asia, Secretary Clinton is coming to the Asia Society on Friday, February 13 to make her first foreign policy address.

Share with Secretary Clinton one thought or concern about a country she will visit or about U.S.-Asian relations. What issue do you think she should address as Secretary of State? What should Secretary Clinton know about the challenges your country is facing?

Please share your thoughts and post your comments here. Please keep your post brief (preferably 150 words or less), and provide your name and home country.

Asia Society may share contributions to this discussion with Secretary Clinton.

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How to Improve Indo-Pakistani Relations?

January 23, 2009 in India-Pakistan Program by Asia Society | 7 comments

At an Asia Society panel discussion moderated by ABC News anchor Dan Harris, panelists—which included Ashutosh Varshney, professor of political science at Brown University; Pakistan’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations Munir Akram; and Asia Society President Emeritus and former US Ambassador to Pakistan Nicholas Platt—were able to agree that the 60-year dispute over the contested territory of Kashmir underlies the two countries’ fraught relationship today. Read about the panel discussion and watch a video excerpt here.

What do you think should be done, by India, Pakistan or the US, to improve India-Pakistan relations?

Share your thoughts here.

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Help Asia Society Plan Jan. 21 Program: ‘The Future of Indo-Pakistan Relations’

January 7, 2009 in India-Pakistan Program by Asia Society

On January 21, the Asia Society and the South Asia Journalists Association (SAJA) will co-host  ‘The Future of Indo-Pakistan Relations’, a public event exploring the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks and what can be done to improve India-Pakistan relations.

Former Pakistani Permanent Representative to the United Nations Munir Akram and Ashutosh Varshney, professor of political science at Brown University, have agreed to participate.  We are currently reaching out to other potential speakers.

The Asia Society and SAJA welcome input from the concerned public on how we might best frame the critical issues that should be discussed at this event.  Please use the links below to suggest: Title for Event, Potential Speakers and Questions for Speakers.

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Title for Event?

January 7, 2009 in India-Pakistan Program by Asia Society | 6 comments

What title for the event might make the most sense?

Share your suggestions here.

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