The team behind 9DASHLINE

IN BRIEF WITH 9DASHLINE

24 December 2021

Emerging from a social media presence established in 2014 into a full-fledged platform in 2020, 9DASHLINE is attracting a growing network of diverse contributors and a wide international audience. As we bid adieu to a busy and rewarding year for our team, 9DL’s leadership — David MacSweeney (Founder), Dr Manali Kumar (Editor-in-Chief), and Dr Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy (Head of the Associates’ Network) — answer some frequently asked questions about the platform.

QUESTION: As the founder of 9DL, could you tell us about the vision behind 9DASHLINE?

DAVID: Like many Asia watchers I spend an inordinate amount of time reading and listening to commentary and had come to find much of the discussion circular in nature, often with a premium placed on similar — or at the very least not wholly original — views and analysis. From my perspective, this had all the hallmarks of an ‘in group’ which is never useful when looking for new approaches to dynamic and structural issues.

I noticed that some of the most interesting points I was coming across were via social media, and from ‘outsiders’ — young professionals often located in the Global South or working in non-traditional settings. It became increasingly apparent to me that despite having fascinating opinions, many people were struggling to find a platform willing to help them share their views with a wider audience. While there are certainly many reasons behind this, it is clear that there is a generation of people with fresh and credible views whose voices are not being heard — much to the detriment of seasoned professionals who can benefit from these perspectives.

As we move into the much talked about ‘Asian Century’, I believe that Europe can (and will) play an important role in the Indo-Pacific. In this sense, the EU and individual member states can learn much from Asia and vice-versa. 9DASHLINE is designed to try and bridge these gaps and connect people and institutions in Europe and Asia around fundamental issues.

QUESTION: How does this vision inform 9DL’s content?

MANALI: The phenomenon of ‘intellectual imperialism’ is by now well-established and often decried. And yet, much of the discourse on geopolitical issues remains dominated by voices from the West. Not only does this rob the so-called ‘periphery’ of agency, but it also means that discussions around international politics are lopsided, and very often self-serving narratives of the ‘centre’ become self-fulfilling prophecies.

Many interesting ideas and valuable initiatives develop away from the crowded space of the centre. Therefore, an important goal for 9DL is to platform new voices alongside engaging the more established thinkers. We work hard to try and identify up and coming talent, especially people who are living and working in the Indo-Pacific. Since many of our contributors are first-time writers and/or non-native English speakers, our editorial team works very closely with them.

Given the emphasis on connecting people and societies, we also cater to a wide audience. We are keen to engage not only scholars and policymakers but also members of industry and the general public. So, another important facet is making academic research and analysis more accessible.

QUESTION: What is the ‘Associates Network’ and how does it fit into 9DL’s aims?

ZSUZSA: 9DL is expanding at an exciting time in global affairs, and as Head of the Associates’ Network I am thrilled to be a part of this growth. Connectivity has been an enduring central theme — and geopolitical tool — in international relations, presenting not only opportunities for growth and prosperity, but also challenges undermining the very progress it seeks to secure. The idea behind connectivity is a beautiful one: to bring countries, people and societies together to facilitate closer ties and mutual awareness for the benefit of all.

I see the goal of the Associates’ Network through this lens: to establish a team of in-country Associates to help promote our aim of better connecting Europe with the Indo-Pacific, to help build new bridges and consolidate existing ones between Brussels and the rest of Europe on one hand, and important cities such as Canberra, Delhi, Seoul, Tokyo and Taipei, on the other. I am pleased to say that Taipei, where I am currently based, was where it all started to grow. Taiwan, Asia’s most robust democracy, has been a great inspiration in helping us shape the contours of a vision for what we want the Network to be.

By now, we have connected Taipei and Canberra, and are looking forward to connecting Seoul next. Earlier this year we were happy to welcome Hunter Marston as our Australia Associate. With his extensive expertise in Southeast Asia and based in Canberra, Hunter has contributed to our steady growth. Guided by our Associates, we have been able to establish partnerships with local like-minded partners. This growing network provides opportunities to enrich our platform with new and creative content and ensure our readers get a balanced view of the emerging domestic dynamics but seen in a regional and global context.

QUESTION: Why the name ‘9DASHLINE’?

DAVID: There are several reasons behind this from the complex to the mundane. Of course, it's hard to escape the issue of name recognition. Coming from a psychoanalytic background, I felt there was an opportunity to engage people in a constructive process by anchoring it within a deeply emotive though altogether ambiguous concept. Devoid of coordinates and rejected as a concept by many, the Nine Dash Line's ethereal nature makes it a great hook for us to use.

As a non-partisan and completely independent organisation, it invites people to project their own views onto us — it naturally prompts questions as to whether we are a platform that holds pro- or anti-China views concerning the South China Sea and other disputes. Irrespective of our content there may be some who see us as advocating for China while others may see an opportunity to reframe the notion of the Nine Dash Line itself by publishing opposing views under our name, thereby claiming a sense of agency over the very thing which they see as endangering their interests.

The Nine Dash Line is effectively the live rail that runs through the South China Sea and so I wanted us to be able to tap into the power and emotion the concept provokes but on fresh terms and through a nuanced and inclusive framework designed to subvert the binary (in/out) nature of lines. Therefore, when it comes to the South China Sea, and other issues across the Indo-Pacific we welcome clearly articulated views from all quarters.

QUESTION: What are the values guiding 9DL’s content and editorial work?

MANALI: Three key values guide everything we do from an editorial perspective. First, independence — no one influences what we publish. Decisions about which submissions are accepted for publication are made collectively by the editorial team. Second, excellence — rather than quantity, we focus on publishing one sharp and interesting piece every day. We take our integrity very seriously and our goal is to always help our authors present their work in the best possible way. So, each piece is reviewed by at least two editors before it is published. Third, accessibility — all our published content is free to access without paywalls and free of advertising.

9DL is very much a labour of love — it is run by a dedicated team that believes in the importance of building bridges and fostering mutual understanding. We are grateful for the trust our contributors’ place in us. And we are encouraged by the support from our global audience that engages with our content and testifies to the value of what we are doing.

QUESTION: 9DL has announced several institutional partnerships, such as with Taiwan NextGen Foundation and the Council for Strategic and Defense Research in New Delhi. What role do you see these partnerships playing?

ZSUZSA: We are on a mission to connect countries, people and societies, and working together to better navigate the complexities that we face at home, and we fear abroad. For over a decade, I have had the privilege of working and growing in one of the European Union’s most dynamic institutions: the European Parliament in Brussels. It is a complex scene that showed me the value of partnerships and the benefit of cooperation for reinforcing, not undermining each other’s ambitions.

Therefore, it has been extremely rewarding to work closely with like-minded people leading their own network of experts, who have since become our partners, in important cities like Taipei and New Delhi. These think tanks bring their local knowledge and expertise, contribute to the pursuit of our vision at 9DL and support us in building the bridges we need to navigate a complicated, and too often confusing, world.

QUESTION: What can we expect from 9DL in the future?

DAVID: It’s a great time to ask this question as we are currently working to scale both the editorial team and Associate Network and we look forward to making several exciting announcements in early 2022. Greater capacity will ultimately mean we are in a position to develop the range and scope of our output while also enabling us to move forward with developing a service-focused arm which is part of our longer-term plan. While we are currently an entirely self-funded platform, we are looking to raise funding that will enable us to expand our offerings in a way that will allow us to maintain our quality and improve our accessibility without compromising our independence.

For now, people can expect more high-quality analysis through our articles, webinars and our upcoming podcast.

MANALI: We are sad to lose John Pollock, who was there at the very beginning. At the same time, we’ve been very fortunate to have Dr Eva Seiwert join the editorial team this year, and we are excited to welcome two more Associate Editors early in the new year (hint: they are both much-admired 9DL contributors!).

I am also looking forward to developing more content partnerships, such as the ones we established with the South Asian Voices blog at the Stimson Center and New Mandala at the Australia National University. As we continue to build bridges between Europe and the Indo-Pacific, from an editorial perspective, I am keen to have more content focusing on some of the smaller countries that tend not to get much attention in geopolitical discourse until there is a natural disaster or a political crisis. Building bridges requires continuous engagement to foster mutual understanding and respect, and we hope to help promote that with our content more proactively.

ZSUZSA: I am confident that we are building bridges between Europe and the Indo-Pacific, and we are making connections that contribute to a better understanding of each other. I see the Associates Network as a crucial pillar of the foundation of 9DL. We have become who we are through steady growth, and this is how we will go forward. Much value lies in international collaborations and expanding our partnerships will remain a core way of engagement and avenue for growth.

Today, few would disagree that the world’s economic and political centre of gravity will continue to shift towards the Indo-Pacific. And most would agree that Europe is increasingly seeking to strengthen its role and relevance within the region. As the need to navigate geopolitical fault lines will only grow, 9DL will continue to engage and connect to help shape a constructive and sustainable way forward.

TEAM: Finally, we would like to thank our contributors and partners for their continued support and we look forward to an exciting year ahead.

ABOUT US

David MacSweeney is the Founder of 9DASHLINE, Dr Manali Kumar is the Editor-in-Chief, and Dr Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy is the Head of our Associates’ Network.