Lecture 1:
Main Points:
Australia’s relationship with the Asian region has changed dramatically over the past 100 years.
From fear, suspicion and derision to increasing respect, enthusiasm and recognition of opportunity.
Australia’s self-perception is often at odds with its perception abroad – Ignorance and chauvinism
block realism.
Asian perspectives of Australia are often trapped by outdated ideas from ‘White Australia’ days.
History vs Geography:
Since the 1990s, Australia has successfully nurtured its European cultural and political heritage while
also integrating with a rising Asia.
Prior to this, Australia sought security from Asia (wanted protection from Asia) E.g. In protective
defence, trade and immigration policies – Became a problem when reality hit – rising power of Asia
Australia’s cooperative partnerships with Asia make it useful to other western states and Australia’s
western culture makes it useful to Asia.
Ramesh Thakur: ‘Double Bipolar Disorder’: Australian policy-makers are being pulled in 2 different
directions:
Australia – Culturally transatlantic and geographically Asia-Pacific.
USA – Australia’s security base
China – Australia’s economic base
Main policy shifts:
1. 1950s and 1960s – Decolonisation of Asia:
o ‘The official Australian attitude to the New Asia can be defined as composed of one hope and
two fears; the hope that nationalism, with which most Australians sympathise, will bring
order and peace to the newly independent nations of Asia; the new fear that Communism will
outpace nationalism in the race for these people’s allegiance; and the old fear of Japan’
Anti-communist sentiment dominated all policy and decisions:
o Australia’s involvement in the Cold War against USSR ( Malaya 1948-1960; Korea 1950-
1953; Vietnam 1965 -1975)
o Oppositional and aggressive rather than collaborative in approach
o Dependent upon American world view
,2. 1970s and 1980s – Relaxation of Cold War thinking and abandonment by Britain:
o Decline in importance of ideology, rise in importance of trade in foreign policy decisions
Britain joined the European Economic Community in 1973 (forerunner to the EU and
cast Australia adrift economically
Rising economic power and prosperity of Asia – Including success of ASEAN
(Association of SEAsian Nations (est. 1967)
Australia leads formation of APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum 1989)
3. 1990s – Selling self-interest:
o Deepening engagement with Asia is presented to the public as being ‘Australia’s economic
self-interest’
Building new relationships with Asia
Promoting Asia Literacy in schools
o Fears of ‘Asianisation’ managed through celebration of ‘multiculturalism’
Howard’s failure in 1987 election in part a result of the popular rejection of racist
ideas
21st century consolidation of the path of engagement and cooperation with Asia.
Ongoing attempts to balance Australia’s options
o Public questioning of the US alliance – Necessary for defence but defence is required because
of alliance with US
o Increasing bilateral free trade agreements vs multilateral
Emergence of ‘think tanks’ with strong Asia Pacific focus – Privately-funded organisations.
Key government policy documents:
o Australia in the Asia Century 2012
o Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century 2009
Views from Asia:
Australians frequently misunderstand how they are viewed in Asia – Hinders successful relationship
building -> At worst, Australia is regarded as racist, ignorant, lazy
While Australians often think of themselves as having the national characteristics of being friendly,
relaxed, open-minded, advanced, wise.
Indignation about being misunderstood does not help build new perceptions or modify outdated
views – Awareness of others’ prejudices and views would help in understanding their responses to
actions and enable effective communication.
, Conclusion:
In the last 3 decades, Australia has been successfully charting a path between its cultural heritage and
its economic and strategic reality.
While this often appears contradictory, it is also part of pragmatic pursuit of national interest,
grounded in the reality of 21st century’s rise of Asia and embedded within a dynamic and constantly
negotiated domestic multicultural society.
Public narratives reveal Australians are anxious about not being liked in the region – Now.
Lecture 2: Orientalism: Othering Asia and the Creation of an Australian Identity:
Main points:
Orientalism – Power ideology:
o Enabled the colonisation of Asia
o Underpins many of the current prejudices Australians have about Asia and Asian people
The White Australia Policy emerged from Orientalism thinking:
o White people were somehow ‘superior’ or genetically endowed with moral attributes that
other races could never have
o Mixed-race individuals confounded the idealised fixed boundaries between
races/civilisations/cultures that Orientalism depends upon
Racism and race-based categorisations operate vigorously throughout Asia – Not solely a white
person’s problem
o It operates in and out of Asia today – Self-orientalisation
Orientalism: (1 thought – sexualisation of another)
Edward Said’s 1978 book (Orientalism) outlined the system of thinking by which colonialism and
imperialism was morally acceptable:
o Although focused specifically on the Middle East his findings are directly applicable to Asia
as well
o Orientalist thinking provides a lens through which ‘facts’ are ‘understood’ so that disparaging
the cultures and peoples of Asia was ‘logical’ and ‘commonsense’; Orientalism becomes a
powerful idea to sell to others that this country is worth overtaking – Making excuses for
taking over another country
Edward Said’s 1978 book (Orientalism):
A style of thought that makes a distinction between the ‘orient’ and the ‘occident’ that emerged in
Europe after the Enlightenment (1700s)
A ‘Western style for dominating, restructuring and having authority over the Orient’
Main Points:
Australia’s relationship with the Asian region has changed dramatically over the past 100 years.
From fear, suspicion and derision to increasing respect, enthusiasm and recognition of opportunity.
Australia’s self-perception is often at odds with its perception abroad – Ignorance and chauvinism
block realism.
Asian perspectives of Australia are often trapped by outdated ideas from ‘White Australia’ days.
History vs Geography:
Since the 1990s, Australia has successfully nurtured its European cultural and political heritage while
also integrating with a rising Asia.
Prior to this, Australia sought security from Asia (wanted protection from Asia) E.g. In protective
defence, trade and immigration policies – Became a problem when reality hit – rising power of Asia
Australia’s cooperative partnerships with Asia make it useful to other western states and Australia’s
western culture makes it useful to Asia.
Ramesh Thakur: ‘Double Bipolar Disorder’: Australian policy-makers are being pulled in 2 different
directions:
Australia – Culturally transatlantic and geographically Asia-Pacific.
USA – Australia’s security base
China – Australia’s economic base
Main policy shifts:
1. 1950s and 1960s – Decolonisation of Asia:
o ‘The official Australian attitude to the New Asia can be defined as composed of one hope and
two fears; the hope that nationalism, with which most Australians sympathise, will bring
order and peace to the newly independent nations of Asia; the new fear that Communism will
outpace nationalism in the race for these people’s allegiance; and the old fear of Japan’
Anti-communist sentiment dominated all policy and decisions:
o Australia’s involvement in the Cold War against USSR ( Malaya 1948-1960; Korea 1950-
1953; Vietnam 1965 -1975)
o Oppositional and aggressive rather than collaborative in approach
o Dependent upon American world view
,2. 1970s and 1980s – Relaxation of Cold War thinking and abandonment by Britain:
o Decline in importance of ideology, rise in importance of trade in foreign policy decisions
Britain joined the European Economic Community in 1973 (forerunner to the EU and
cast Australia adrift economically
Rising economic power and prosperity of Asia – Including success of ASEAN
(Association of SEAsian Nations (est. 1967)
Australia leads formation of APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum 1989)
3. 1990s – Selling self-interest:
o Deepening engagement with Asia is presented to the public as being ‘Australia’s economic
self-interest’
Building new relationships with Asia
Promoting Asia Literacy in schools
o Fears of ‘Asianisation’ managed through celebration of ‘multiculturalism’
Howard’s failure in 1987 election in part a result of the popular rejection of racist
ideas
21st century consolidation of the path of engagement and cooperation with Asia.
Ongoing attempts to balance Australia’s options
o Public questioning of the US alliance – Necessary for defence but defence is required because
of alliance with US
o Increasing bilateral free trade agreements vs multilateral
Emergence of ‘think tanks’ with strong Asia Pacific focus – Privately-funded organisations.
Key government policy documents:
o Australia in the Asia Century 2012
o Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century 2009
Views from Asia:
Australians frequently misunderstand how they are viewed in Asia – Hinders successful relationship
building -> At worst, Australia is regarded as racist, ignorant, lazy
While Australians often think of themselves as having the national characteristics of being friendly,
relaxed, open-minded, advanced, wise.
Indignation about being misunderstood does not help build new perceptions or modify outdated
views – Awareness of others’ prejudices and views would help in understanding their responses to
actions and enable effective communication.
, Conclusion:
In the last 3 decades, Australia has been successfully charting a path between its cultural heritage and
its economic and strategic reality.
While this often appears contradictory, it is also part of pragmatic pursuit of national interest,
grounded in the reality of 21st century’s rise of Asia and embedded within a dynamic and constantly
negotiated domestic multicultural society.
Public narratives reveal Australians are anxious about not being liked in the region – Now.
Lecture 2: Orientalism: Othering Asia and the Creation of an Australian Identity:
Main points:
Orientalism – Power ideology:
o Enabled the colonisation of Asia
o Underpins many of the current prejudices Australians have about Asia and Asian people
The White Australia Policy emerged from Orientalism thinking:
o White people were somehow ‘superior’ or genetically endowed with moral attributes that
other races could never have
o Mixed-race individuals confounded the idealised fixed boundaries between
races/civilisations/cultures that Orientalism depends upon
Racism and race-based categorisations operate vigorously throughout Asia – Not solely a white
person’s problem
o It operates in and out of Asia today – Self-orientalisation
Orientalism: (1 thought – sexualisation of another)
Edward Said’s 1978 book (Orientalism) outlined the system of thinking by which colonialism and
imperialism was morally acceptable:
o Although focused specifically on the Middle East his findings are directly applicable to Asia
as well
o Orientalist thinking provides a lens through which ‘facts’ are ‘understood’ so that disparaging
the cultures and peoples of Asia was ‘logical’ and ‘commonsense’; Orientalism becomes a
powerful idea to sell to others that this country is worth overtaking – Making excuses for
taking over another country
Edward Said’s 1978 book (Orientalism):
A style of thought that makes a distinction between the ‘orient’ and the ‘occident’ that emerged in
Europe after the Enlightenment (1700s)
A ‘Western style for dominating, restructuring and having authority over the Orient’
