Editor's Picks — 9DASHLINE

From silence to resilience: The evolving narrative of feminism in Japan

Written by Dr Minakshi Keeni

Japan's ranking in global gender equality indices signals room for improvement, reinforcing the persistent need for initiatives that encourage greater involvement of women in political leadership roles.

Editor's Picks9DLApril 19, 20249dashline, From silence to resilience: The evolving narrative of feminism in Japan, Minakshi Keeni, Japan, feminism, gender, gender inequality, Global Gender Gap Index, South Korea, China, women, gender parity, GDP, empowering women, empowerment, Japanese feminism, societal norms, Meiji era, Confucian values, society, women's rights, Japanese society, gender equality, modernity, feminist, suffrage, comfort women, comfort women statues, 2015 ‘comfort women’ agreement, Imperial Japanese Army, slavery, sexual slavery, wartime sexual slavery, right to vote, World War II, Confucian norms, ryōsai kenbo, Meiji Civil Code of 1898, 1947 Constitution, Feminist movements, Raicho Hiratsuka, Seito, Beate Sirota Gordon, Fusae Ichikawa, suffragist, women's movement, wage disparities, children, Tokyo Medical University, maternity leave, gender biases, bias, marriage, motherhood, Mizuho Fukushima, gender roles, Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 2016, Japanese politics, gender gap, sexist, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) of Japan, 2022 Upper House election, Japanese Association of Women in Politics (JAWP), Ryoko Akamatsu, Yuriko Koike, Tokyo, women's representation, Japanese Imperial Family, monarchy, Imperial House Law of 1947, Princess Mako, Chrysanthemum Throne, male-only succession, Kei Komuro, Emperor Naruhito, #MeToo, #MeToo movement, sexual harassment, assault, collectivism, social harmony, Survivors, Shiori Ito, Japan Sport Association (JSPO), NO! Spohara, Kanako Otsuji, Land of the Rising Sun

Intersectionality as the key to Indo-Pacific climate action

Written by Treesa Shaju and Dr Dhanasree Jayaram

Taking an intersectional approach to climate change recognises the interconnected and interwoven nature of social, economic, ecological, political, and cultural issues in the formulation of climate change policies and strategies.

Editor's Picks9DLMarch 18, 20249dashline, Intersectionality as the key to Indo-Pacific climate action, indo-pacific, climate action, ACCSAP, Q-CHAMP, differentiated vulnerabilities, differentiated capacities, discrimination, oppression, intersecting identities, minority rights, gender, indigenous rights, structural inequity, discriminatory practices, Gender Action Plan, UNFCCC, intra-gender disparities, ocean acidification, extreme weather, rising sea levels, freshwater scarcity, infrastructural vulnerabilities, systemic crisis, land ownership, resource distribution, decision-making power, natural resources, gender-segregated tasks, sustenance farming, water shortages, food shortages, domestic violence, gendered violence, LGBTQIA+, disabilities, vulnerable groups, marginalised communities, island nations, coastal inundation, saltwater intrusion, drought, desertification, climate resilience, Pacific Islands Forum, PIF, major emitters, emissions, Global North, climate finance, loss and damage, IORA, ASEAN Climate Resilience Network, agricultural adaptation, regional cooperation, multilateral cooperation, sustainability, gender inclusivity, CSW66, gender inclusion, SGBV, VAWG, GBV, DV, Quad HADR, invisibilisation, DRR, exclusionary patterns, indigenous communities, knowledge custodians, decision-making agency, sustainability solutions, gender responsiveness, Indonesia, RANAPI, Pacific Gender and Climate Change Toolkit

Understanding antifeminist backlash in the South Korean context: Remnants of militarism and patriarchy

Written by JiMin Nam

In South Korea specifically, backlash is not just a reaction to the rise of popular feminism since 2015. Instead, it is an indicator that two related institutions, militarism and patriarchy, persist in South Korean society and represent gender norms in a way that positions feminism as something problematic.

Editor's Picks, East Asia9DLFebruary 28, 20249dashline, JiMin Nam, Understanding backlash in the South Korean context, Remnants of militarism and patriarchy, gender rights, feminism, women's rights, anti-gender movements, LGBTQIA+ rights, South Korea, employment rights, social media, abortion rights, spycam crime, cyberbullying, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Brazil, backlash, oppressive institutions, militarism, patriarchy, gender norms, point system, Ewha Women’s University, misogyny, cyber terror, military, conscription, gendered identities, moral identity, human rights abuses, militaristic hierarchical culture, workspace, excluded, exclusionary patterns, post-war developmentalism, Asian Financial Crisis, male workers, female workers, patriarchal fantasies, Seoul, Understanding antifeminist backlash in the South Korean context: Remnants of militarism and patriarchy

In Forum — Great power politics amid great turbulence

For many in the Global South and the Indo-Pacific, the West’s contrasting responses to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Isreal-Palestine conflict have revealed a hypocrisy that undermines the international order it is seeking to protect and promote.

In this In Forum, 9DASHLINE asks a number of experts how these factors will shape great power competition.

In Forum: 2024 — The future of ASEAN

Great power politics in the Indo-Pacific has put the future and centrality of ASEAN under some doubt. How can ASEAN negotiate greater space for itself amid the intensifying great power rivalry?

9DASHLINE asks a select group of experts whether ASEAN can withstand these internal and external pressures.

Southeast Asia, Editor's Picks9DLFebruary 16, 20249dashline, DR. PRASHANTH PARAMESWARAN, GORDON CONOCHIE, NAZIA HUSSAIN, Hunter Marston, ASEAN, great power politics, Myanmar Coup, South China Sea, Cambodia, China, Philippine, In Forum: 2024 — The future of ASEAN

In Forum: 2024 — the South China Sea at a crossroads

The South China Sea remains one of the most potentially explosive regions in the world. What role can regional actors and organisations play in de-escalating the conflict and putting an end to the escalatory trends witnessed in 2023?

We invite several experts to assess the prospects for stability in 2024.

Editor's Picks, Pacific9DLFebruary 2, 2024In Forum: 2024 — South China Sea at a crossroads, 9DASHLINE, south china sea, SCS, China, Philippine, Philippine navy, The Philippines, vessels, Chinese vessels, freedom of navigation, United States, trade, shipping, US-China competition, escalation, CYBER, ELINA NOOR, non-claimant states, Code of Conduct (CoC), Code of Conduct (CoC) negotiations, military, international law, cross-domain, ASEAN, norms of responsible state behaviour, 2015 United Nations Group of Governmental Experts of Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security, APILA SANGTAM, Beijing, Vietnam, India, Manila, United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), UNCLOS, 2016 Arbitral Award, comprehensive strategic partnership, 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, grey zone, Exclusive Economic Zones, Indonesia, Malaysia, NONG HONG, geopolitical rivalry, naval, military exercises, oil and gas exploitation, COLLIN KOH, unilateral, multilateral, littorals, Second Thomas Shoal, Taiwan, PRATNASHREE BASU, Belt and Road Initiative, strategic autonomy, de-escalation, containment, Japan, rules-based order, UN, United Nations, In Forum: 2024 — the South China Sea at a crossroads

In Forum: 2024 — US Strategy and the Indo-Pacific

To what extent can the US compete with China if it does not offer more economic opportunities to Indo-Pacific countries, especially due to mounting doubts about its reliability as a security guarantor in the region?

We invite several experts to assess this state of affairs.

In Forum: 2024 — Taiwan's presidential election

Taiwan's 2024 presidential election was a crucial event, reflecting the island nation's desire for strong self-determination, economic prosperity, and social progress. With China's looming presence, the election focused on maintaining Taiwan's autonomy, addressing economic challenges, and expanding social welfare.

In Forum: 2024 — Minilaterals in the Indo-Pacific

Minilaterals have become the partnerships of choice for addressing joint problems in the Indo-Pacific and deepening cooperation beyond traditional formats.

In this In Forum, 9DASHLINE invites several experts to assess whether minilaterals can make global governance more effective and whether the institutional landscape of the Indo-Pacific will become overcrowded in 2024.

In Forum: 2024 — China’s policy towards the West

China and Australia appear to have patched things up, and more conciliatory tones are even heard about relations with the United States following Xi’s visit in November. In this In Forum, 9DASHLINE asks a number of experts to weigh in on whether we can expect improving ties to continue through 2024.

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Best of 2023: Responding to China

In 2023, policymakers worldwide invested an unprecedented amount of time and resources in developing strategies for their relations with China. This heightened focus was prompted by the significant influence of Beijing's domestic, foreign, and security policies on the economies and politics of other countries.

We present some of our most-read analyses on different countries’ evolving strategies towards China featured in the past year.

Editor's Picks9DLJanuary 5, 2024Best of 2023: Responding to China, 9DASHLINE, THE EU’S ANTI-COERCION INSTRUMENT — A NEW STEP IN EU-CHINA ESCALATION?, Sjorre Couvreur, GERMANY’S NEW CHINA STRATEGY – A ROADMAP FOR CLIMATE FOREIGN POLICY, Belinda Schäpe, A LAW TO REIN IN TECH FIRMS: THE US IS RESTRICTING CHINA BY EMULATING IT, Wendy Chang, Antonia Hmaidi, DECOUPLING FROM CHINA IS NOT SO EASY FOR JAPAN AND KOREA, CHANG-MIN LEE, NZ: MAORI FOREIGN POLICY TO MANAGE INCREASINGLY CHALLENGING RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA, Bonnie Holster, NICHOLAS ROSS SMITH, SOUTHEAST ASIAN MARITIME STATES ARE HEDGING TO STAY AFLOAT AMIDST US-CHINA RIVALRY, Hunter Marston

Best of 2023: South Korea

South Korea's (ROK) role in global politics has evolved significantly in recent years, with the country emerging as a pivotal player in the Indo-Pacific region. Under President Yoon Suk-yeol, it has strengthened its security alliance with the US and pursued a more assertive stance towards North Korea.

We review some of our most-read analyses about South Korea from the last year.

Editor's Picks9DLJanuary 4, 2024Best of 2023: South Korea, South Korea, Seoul’s Indo-Pacific strategy will not make big waves in Southeast Asia, Alessandro Vesprini, Matteo Piasentini, Should South Korea develop nuclear weapons?, yulgok kim, Evaluating South Korea's democratic backsliding, Dr Mi-son Kim, Conservative zealots: evangelical politics in South Korea, Dr Yong Jae Kim, No Country for Asylum-seekers: the Complexity of Refugee Protection in South Korea, Dr Angela Y. McClean, 9dashline

Best of 2023: China as a global actor

It was a busy year: the tenth anniversary of Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative, the ongoing war in Ukraine and questions about China’s role therein, as well as the increasingly urgent Taiwan issue, are just a few examples of topics that have made it to the top of analysts’ and policymakers’ agendas in 2023.

We summarise some of our most-read pieces about China as a global actor, which also generated a lot of discussion and debate among our readers.

Best of 2023: Indonesia

As the 2022 G20 Chair and last year’s chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Jakarta has been at the forefront of several important discussions around current world affairs. On 14 February 2024, the country will hold its general elections.

We present some of our most insightful pieces looking at various aspects of Indonesia’s internal dynamics and its engagement with the external world.

Editor's Picks9DLJanuary 2, 2024indonesia, Indo-Pacific, 9DASHLINE, Prabowo’s Ukraine proposal underscores Indonesia’s fractured foreign policy, Andreyka Natalegawa, Elephant in the room: Indonesia hesitates to strike India-Russia missile deal, Andi Raihanah Ashar, Why the Philippines and Indonesia have warmed to AUKUS, Julian Neuweiler, Patrick Trigclavcanin, Indonesia and North Korea: Warm memories of the Cold War, GATRA PRIYANDITA, INDONESIA’S NEW CRIMINAL CODE TURNS REPRESENTATIVES INTO RULERS, Sana Jaffrey, Eve Warburton

Best of 2023: China – Delving into the domestic landscape

2023 was a year marked by both progress and challenges for China. Its economy exhibited a strong recovery thanks to the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, and urbanisation has continued as millions move from rural to urban areas in search of better opportunities.

We review some of our most insightful analyses of key issues across China’s domestic political and policy landscape.

Editor's Picks9DLJanuary 1, 2024Best of 2023: China – Delving into the domestic landscape, 9DASHLINE, Anand P. Krishnan, Inconvenient truth — Young and unemployed in China, Dr Franziska Plümmer, Running from China: China’s youth dream of leaving, China's real estate crisis is still a political danger, Aravind Yelery, Ten-year review of China’s defence budget: steadily toward modernisation, Fei Su, Xiao Liang, China

BRICS Plus: India’s perspective on the group’s expansion

Written by Rishma Banerjee

Given the broader context of India’s rivalry with China, and its tightrope act of balancing ties between Russia and the West, New Delhi’s support for the six new BRICS members reflects its broader strategic and geopolitical interests.

Editor's Picks9DLDecember 19, 20239dashline, BRICS Plus: India’s perspective on the group’s expansion, BRICS, BRICS Plus, BRICS expansion, Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Argentine, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, eligibility criteria, New Delhi, Global South, geopolitical interests, strategic partnership, bilateral relations, Prime Minister Modi, African Union, regional bloc, AU, foreign policy, international forums, G20, I2U2 grouping, strategic partnerships, Middle East, INSTC, IMEEC, oil, oil imports, energy security, diaspora, Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Gulf region, strategic autonomy, bilateral trade, GCC, BRICS platform, US-India nuclear deal, New Delhi Declaration, Chabahar Port, global economic output, global governance, oil-producing nations, BRICS Interbank Cooperation Mechanism, BRICS Pay digital payment platform

In Conversation with Vincent Brussee

9DASHLINE recently had the pleasure of speaking with Vincent Brussee about his new book Social Credit: The Warring States of China’s Emerging Data Empire.

This book offers one of the first comprehensive assessments of the People’s Republic of China’s infamous ‘Social Credit System’.

Building a safe shared future for the People’s Republic of China

Written by Dr Sari Arho Havrén

China has already made considerable progress in planting the seeds of an international order that would make the future safe for its one-party rule at home by insulating it from outside threats.