WHY INDIA?

The Daily Telegraph, Where Our Jobs Went, 10th October, 2006

SBS News Service, 31/10/06

PM: Kyoto won’t work

“Australia pointed an accusing finger at China and India as major polluters as it refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on climate change despite a major new report warning of impending catastrophe.”

“Kyoto does not impose the obligations it would have imposed on Australia on countries like China and India”, Mr Howard said.

Sydney Morning Herald, March 15, 2007

Why India May Save Sydney

India has been growing at about 9 per cent a year and will become the world's third biggest economy by 2050.

India’s rapid expansion is being driven by services rather than manufacturing. That means India is likely to demand the services that Sydney is good at providing, including financial services, telecommunications, information technology, education and media.

Sydney's expertise in infrastructure development, construction management and consulting services are also likely to be in demand as India builds roads, bridges and power stations.

New Economic World Order

•China and India to rise by 2020

•Resources: in 2005, China and India together consumed:

• 35% of world steel• 24% of aluminium• 51% of coal• 55% of cement• 40% of iron ore• 51% of cotton• 12 of oil

•These are all set to rise... Still•Both are nuclear powers

Indian Anger Boils OverThe Age, June 1, 2009

The Times of India,September 17, 2009Don't break the law, Australian PM warns Indian studentsThe Times of India is the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world

The laws are there for a purpose and that is for all citizens to adhere to them

SOURCE: HINDUSTAN TIMES 4 WEEKS AGO

There really has to be some form of retaliation from the Indian community as a whole. India has to stand up

SOURCE: HINDUSTAN TIMES 4 WEEKS AGO

I don't think there is any doubt at all that some of the events over the last few months have damaged our brand and the Australian brand in India

John Brumby, Premier of Victoria

SOURCE: HINDUSTAN TIMES 2 WEEKS AGO

The idea of ‘India’ in Australia

Call centres Cricket scandals Nuclear tests and deals Poverty Spirituality, religiosity and yoga ‘Kitsch’ Bollywood film

We need a historically – informed explanation for any of the above

India’s Region•A region which demands understanding:

• Pakistan• Afghanista

n• Nepal• China• Banglades

h• Sri Lanka• Burma

India’s Demography

Young (50% of the Indian population is under 25)

By 2025, India’s under 25 population will still be massive, whereas China’s will be ‘greying’

Rapidly expanding middle class

Families beginning to ‘nuclearise’ in urban areas

Poverty in India

Exists alongside extraordinary wealth

India is home to 1/3 of the worlds poor

Need to understand historical forces that create poverty (colonialism, dependency theory, caste)

Rural poverty: 1947: 50% 1987: 29% 2000: 25%

Why focus on India?

Familiarity with certain common ‘structures’

As former British colonies, there are many similarities between Australia and India: India is English

Speaking India aspires to

modernity along quasi-western lines

AND... India is democraticA sign on the Indo-Pakistan border

But there are differences...

Enormous diversity The caste system Religion:

A secular society, with a Hindu majority, yet is the 2nd largest Muslim country in the world

An age of heritage...

The Legacy of the British Empire

Indian civilisation: Incredible

architecture Sophisticated art Dress Social norms

Where to begin...

Colonialism The period of the

British Raj

Where to from here...

Globalisation Indianisation

India has approached globalisation differently

Maintained elements of a closed economy

Cushioned India from extremes of globalisation in 1991 and 2009 meltdowns

Conscious of process of engagement with Western Culture

Reactions against globalisation: Nuclear tests (explicit

defiance of the West) Name Changes (Kolkata...) Resistance to Western

Culture (Anti-Valentine’s Day protests)

Maintenance of distinctly Indian Cultural outlets (Bollywood)