ASEAN Dreams, Australian Puzzles
My walks to and from the office here in Phnom Penh these few days are punctuated by the noise of sirens and the rush of motor cycle police as yet another cavalcade of dignitaries sweeps past en route to yet more meetings, relegating to the road edges the normal crush of cars, four wheel drives, … Continue reading
Ignoring Asianists, Not Asia
Simon Marginson writes well on Australian domestic higher education issues, but his recent piece on Asia (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/opinion/pressures-on-for-a-bigger-effort-in-asia/story-e6frgcko-1226291047772 ) might not rank among his best. He outlines the current “rediscovery” of Asia by Australia that spawned the Henry review, rehearses the “hot” points about economic and demographic growth, then makes the fair point that while the on-going … Continue reading
W(h)ither Syria?
The current troubles in Syria began almost a year ago. In that short time the country has gone from a growing interaction with the West and an opening-up economy, to a rising chorus of demands for military intervention to oust President Bashar al-Assad and stop the blood-letting. It has been a rapid, bewildering degeneration, taking … Continue reading
Phnom Penh Penumbra
My place in Phnom Penh is just around the corner from the Independence Monument, so a little hike from the bars and clubs uptown at Riverside more normally associated with the city. I am technically in the Tonle Bassac commune of Chamkar Mon district, but to all intents and purposes spend most time in Boeung … Continue reading
Old Sport, New Money Games
Old Sport, New Business and Governance Challenges (this first appeared in The Conversation as “Moneyball: Why sporting organisations need to start playing by the rules” Rangers Football Club, the historically Protestant half of Glasgow’s “Old Firm” (the other half being the Catholic Celtic) has entered financial administration to prevent UK tax authorities installing their own … Continue reading
Brian Stoddart 