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The Debate

The Debate is our home for the best opinions from around Asia. Whether it is negotiating with Iran, responding to North Korean provocations, discussing Japan's looming demographic issues, or considering the new balance of power in the Asia-Pacific, some of the region's leading thinkers offer their take.

Engagements With the Myanmar Military Undermine Localized Approaches to Humanitarian Assistance

Engagements With the Myanmar Military Undermine Localized Approaches to Humanitarian Assistance

By Maggi Quadrini
International organizations should focus on strengthening local networks and providing cross-border aid rather than waiting for authorization from the junta to operate in conflict zones. 

How 9/11 Changed – and Didn’t Change – Afghanistan

How 9/11 Changed – and Didn’t Change – Afghanistan

By Freshta Jalalzai
The terror attacks on September 11, 2001, seemingly changed the trajectory of Afghanistan’s history. But today, the country in many ways is back to the status quo ante – except for the thousands of lives lost to war. 
Is It Time to Declare a Moratorium on the Death Penalty in Bangladesh?

Is It Time to Declare a Moratorium on the Death Penalty in Bangladesh?

By Saira Rahman Khan, Sara Kowal, and Karen S. Gomez-Dumpit
With the interim government’s commitment to investigate enforced disappearances, another form of state-sanctioned killing, the practice of the death penalty, ought to face the same scrutiny.

To Secure Peace in the Indo-Pacific, Include Taiwan in the UN System

To Secure Peace in the Indo-Pacific, Include Taiwan in the UN System

By Lin Chia-lung
“The idea that there must be a choice between China and Taiwan in the U.N. system is a false dichotomy,” asserts Taiwan’s foreign minister.

The Network of Professors Behind Bangladesh’s Revolution

The Network of Professors Behind Bangladesh’s Revolution

By Fahmidul Haq
The University Teachers Network, a network of Bangladeshi academics at home and abroad, charted the movement's agenda and demands.

What’s Driving Taiwan’s Mass Protests?
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What’s Driving Taiwan’s Mass Protests?

The Double-Edged Sword of Plastics in Asia’s Healthcare

The Double-Edged Sword of Plastics in Asia’s Healthcare

By Michelle Reyes and Donna Mae Ocmeja
PPE, syringes, and other single-use plastics in the medical sector are a major contributor to the plastic problem. But the industry can be part of the solution, too.

Pope Francis Returns to Asia-Pacific Frontlines

Pope Francis Returns to Asia-Pacific Frontlines

By Michel Chambon
Francis’ longest trip yet will touch on some fraught geopolitical issues.
The Real Lessons From the Michigan Ghost Town Called Singapore

The Real Lessons From the Michigan Ghost Town Called Singapore

By Joshua Babcock
The short-lived town of Singapore in Michigan offers lessons about environmental management and historical memory that can reshape Singapore’s local and regional commitments today.

The Academic Brain Drain Since Myanmar’s Military Coup

The Academic Brain Drain Since Myanmar’s Military Coup

By Tuang Za Khai
The military takeover has devastated the country's education system, driving thousands of students and teachers out of the country.

What Australia Needs to Do at the Pacific Islands Forum

What Australia Needs to Do at the Pacific Islands Forum

By Joseph Sikulu
To continue the extraction and export of coal and gas is to make the financial burden of Pacific climate resilience heavier and harder to bear.

Reassessing Social and Human Sciences Research in the Asia-Pacific

Reassessing Social and Human Sciences Research in the Asia-Pacific

By Phinith Chanthalangsy
In a world obsessed with “quick-fix” solutions, can research in the social and human sciences counter the appeal of narrow ideologies?
China’s Genocide Tourism Strategy 

China’s Genocide Tourism Strategy 

By Magnus Fiskesjö
The use of tourism as a propaganda weapon is an old trick of authoritarian regimes.

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