Statecraftiness - Investigating Influence in the Pacific

In the latest episode, we discuss the pressing issue of climate change, exploring the critical role in statecraft and the unique challenges faced by the Pacific. How does the Pacific balance immediate infrastructure needs with the long-term threat of climate change in their diplomacy with major powers? With the global and existential threat of climate change, we feature insights fr

In this episode, we shift our focus from state influence to the intriguing process of independence movements in the Pacific. We delve into the complexities of law and politics, particularly in Bougainville and West Papua, where experts and activists shed light on their independence efforts. We discover how these regions navigate the intricate paths to independence, often balancin

At the end of our soft power journey, we examine two key Australian government documents - the Defense Strategic Review and the New International Development Policy. How do the words we choose in government documents shape our understanding and influence our actions? Professor Joanne Wallis sheds light on how the term 'statecraft' is used in these documents and how it has evolved o

This episode walks through the nuanced responses of countries in the Pacific region and Timor-Leste, exploring the perspectives of key figures who wielded substantial influence in government and healthcare during the COVID-19 era. This narrative unfolds by examining the dynamics that shaped each nation's approach to the Pandemic, such as the subtle pressures and preparations that i

The Pacific Food Island Revolution (PIFR) continues to be televised to record numbers of people in the Pacific Islands. But do Australia and New Zealand harvest the soft power benefits of the show? And to what extent has PIFR influenced healthier eating in the region? In this episode we explore the soft power of television through the program often referred to as the MasterChef of

Welcome back to a new season of Statecraftiness! While the podcast took a brief hiatus, the world of statecraft continues to evolve and like Santa, doesn’t sleep at this time of the year. In this episode we look at how states are using the popularity of sports in their statecraft. The second series starts with Host Gordon Peake and Executive Producer Mark Panayiotis Notaras from

In the final episode of Joanne Wallis's quest, Gordon Peake asks photojournalist Ben Bohane to examine defence training as a tool of statecraft and how it's responding to the new geo-strategic climate. Reporting during a major cyclone in Vanuatu, they discuss how climate change is the biggest security issue and navigating geopolitical storm clouds that is defence cooperation. Gordo

In episode seven we delve into the sector that has the biggest pieces of statecraft in budgetary terms - governance and public administration programs. These programs showcase the inner works of bureaucracy and have ubiquitous influence in the Pacific. Gordon Peake has been trying to explain to his parents, in laws and kids what he does for a living all the time seized with worry a

In episode six we dive deep into the crypts of financial management to unearth which statecraft dividends accrue when money is given as loans to governments in the Pacific. Influence is notoriously slippery and crafty in the finance sector - which raises the question of who has the most influence, those who give the money or those who receive it? Gordon Peake speaks with Godfree Ka

In the fifth episode of our investigation into statecraft in the Pacific, we take a closer look at education scholarships as a tool of soft power. What impact do they have - on the individuals who receive them, and on the nations involved? The University of Adelaide Professor Joanne Wallis talks with Gordon Peake about their Statecraftiness story map. Gordon Peake speaks with Godfr