Nation & Identity

Over the past six months, Gen Z-led protests have spread across the Global South, shaking governments and forcing political change in some cases. From Nepal to Kenya, young people have taken to the streets to demand accountability, economic opportunity, and an end to corruption.   These movements have captured global attention and, in some cases, even helped remove leaders. But a deeper pattern is now emerging. While youth protests can be ...

Southeast Asia is taking a step toward deeper legal cooperation. ASEAN countries are discussing a regional treaty that would allow prisoners to serve their sentences in their home countries, with the Philippines among the strongest supporters.   The idea is simple but significant. Instead of serving time abroad, convicted individuals could be transferred back home to complete their sentences. While this has clear benefits for countries lik...

 Governments across Southeast Asia are tightening control over vaping and social media as concerns rise over public health and online safety. What started as separate national policies is now becoming a wider regional shift.   Countries are watching each other more closely, adopting similar rules and reacting faster to new risks. Indonesia stands out as one of the most active players, rolling out measures that could influence how the ...

Ten years after one of Southeast Asia’s worst environmental disasters, questions of accountability remain unresolved.   In April 2016, a toxic waste discharge from Formosa Ha Tinh Steel, a Taiwanese-owned plant in Vietnam, contaminated more than 250 kilometers of coastline. The spill devastated marine life and disrupted the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen and coastal communities.   A decade later, the environmental damag...

Singapore and Malaysia are emerging as the clear leaders in Southeast Asia’s higher education landscape. A new regional ranking by Times Higher Education highlights a growing shift in academic power, with universities from both countries outperforming traditional regional competitors.   At the top of the list are National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University, which secured the number one and two spots. Both in...