2011 Must-Reads Review

Throughout the year, In Asia offers on-the-ground analysis from Asia Foundation experts and guest bloggers on pressing events and issues that affect the Asia-Pacific region. In Asia is taking a short break until the New Year, but stay tuned for our “Forecast: Asia in 2012″ edition on January 4. In the meantime, catch up on a few must-read pieces and highlights from 2011.

    Asia Foundation President David D. Arnold and Anthea Mulakala blog from Busan, Korea, on how Asia’s new “donor” countries are shifting global aid architecture: “Busan HLF4: A New Global Compact for Development?” Development expert Adrian Leftwich looks at why developmental leadership requires forging coalitions.

    The Arab Spring and lessons from Asia:

“As in Asia, Reform in Arab World Depends on Distinct Cultural Settings,” by Ellen Laipson
“China: Political Stability Amid Jasmine Revolutions?” by Harry Harding
“Egypt and the Philippines: Bridging 25 Years,” by Steven Rood

    Give2Asia’s Barnett F. Baron writes from Tohoku, the northeastern area devastated by the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, Véronique Salze-Lozac’h examines the  economic impacts across Asia, and Allen Choate looks at how Japan’s citizens and government pulled from past lessons in the face of disaster.

    Results from The Asia Foundation’s 2011 Survey of the Afghan People reveal growing levels of fear among citizens, writes V. Bruce J. Tolentino. Survey authors Fazel Rabi Haqbeen and Mohammad Osman Tariq examine Afghans’ optimism about reconstruction and trust in religious institutions.

    As waters rose in Thailand’s worst flooding in half a century, our Thailand experts blogged from Bangkok:

“Apprehension and Criticism of Government Rise as Floods Spread in Thailand,” by Kim McQuay
“As Thailand’s Floodwaters Recede, Agonies Surface,” by Ruengrawee Pichaikul
A slideshow reveals Bangkok’s flooded suburbs.

    With global population at 7 billion, John Brandon examines how this is stressing global land, food, water, and energy resources, and whether we might see the poor and middle class taking a stronger stand in demanding better governance. And, Reid Hamel takes a look at what 7 billion looks like for India and China.

    On October 18 in Singapore, David D. Arnold spoke at The Economist‘s Banyan Conference, “Ideas for an Asian Century.” He co-writes with Thomas Parks on why internal conflicts are holding Asia back.

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