An Evening with the Interns

Our six interns will give a presentation on a topic of their own choice:

The humanitarian Crisis in Yemen

It is argued by the UN that the Yemen humanitarian crisis is the largest contemporary humanitarian crisis. Currently, 14% of Yemen's population is displaced, with 9.8 million children in desperate need of humanitarian assistance including shelter, medical equipment, food, and water. Currently entangled in a nine-year civil war, it is unsurprising the civilian population is in dire need of international intervention. With a rapidly shrinking economy, deteriorating public services, and the looming threat of climate change, over 200 aid groups are urgently calling for $2.7 billion to help lift Yemen out of this modern dark age. Although the torment from Houthi rebels and the subsequent major internal conflict was somewhat alleviated by an UN-brokered truce in 2022, the situation remains dire. This topic often goes overlooked in today's media and Jacob Barry's presentation will aim to shed light on this, informing the Institute of the extent of the crisis.

History and Diplomacy: The Politics of Memory in France

The way a government formally addresses, discusses or sometimes distorts its own history reflects the type of national identity and memory it wishes to preserve. This has significant implications for how states may diplomatically engage when they share a complicated history that they publicly 'remember' differently. In the French context, attempts to recognise and atone for legacies of colonisation have proved complex on both the domestic and international levels, marked by different positions publicly taken by changing presidents, and the increasing amplification of alternative perspectives about the reality of the French Empire. Drawing on the discipline of memory studies and the case study of how Franco-Algerian relations have evolved since the Algerian War, Isabella Crowe will examine the role of history and memory in the contemporary diplomatic relations between a state that was colonised, and the state that colonised it.

The Future of Female Power- Lessons from Mexico

In a seismic cultural shift, Claudia Sheinbaum, has recently been elected as the new Mexican President. Her win comes despite a

perception that Sheinbaum's country is a bastion of misogynism and even though its superpower neighbour, the USA, despite painting itself as a beacon of progressiveness, has never elected a woman to lead the country. An examination of cultural and legislative changes

illuminates the significant moves Mexico has made to commit to a societal feminist awakening. Is this now the time for other countries to take note and consider alternative approaches to adequately address the legacy of gender inequality? Paris Fleury will investigate the key steps Mexico has taken to achieve a rebalancing of male and female dynamics, beginning with its enforcement of a feminist foreign policy. In particular, what lessons need to be taken to heart by the international community?

Language Decisions in the Timor-Leste Education System

Timor-Leste celebrated its formal political independence on May 20, 2002. It is the 5th youngest country in the world. The National Constitution of the new nation declared Tetum and Portuguese to be co-official languages, with the remaining local languages given the status of national language. Indonesian and English, however, were designated as working languages 'for as long as is deemed necessary'. While current education policy favour Portuguese, communities predominantly speak in Tetum. Jie Rui Lin will consider the long history of colonialism, human rights abuse, underdevelopment, civil unrest and dramatic political change endured by the Timorese people that has shaped the language profile of the country. The question, therefore, is: should Portuguese remain the language of instruction or be limited to a subject, should English be mandated, what role should Indonesian play and how should Tetum be integrated?

Defending Human Rights in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Computer science pioneer Alan Perlis once said; "A year spent in artificial intelligence is enough to make one believe in god". A truly Promethean event, experts on AI are increasingly warning about its ability to perpetuate insidious algorithmic bias or, in extreme cases, enable Terminator-like 'killer robots'. Due to these concerns, the international community has recognised the need to regulate AI development proactively. However, approaches differ, with the USA allowing tech companies to self-regulate and the EU drafting a comprehensive AI Act focused on external regulation. Adam Scislowski explores the benefits and drawbacks of these differing international strategies, before positing the importance of aligning with international frameworks like the CEDAW (1979) and ICESCR (1966) to defend human rights in the exciting age of AI.

Conflicting Strategies in the Pacific - Beyond Colonial Romanticisation

Western fascinations and romanticisation of Polynesia and the Pacific have long dominated past and present representations of the region, painting it as exotic, intriguing and free of complication. Early European ideals of an untouched Paradise have largely been responsible for such perceptions, the Pacific fulfilling the Romantic era mystics of an Arcadia that was antipodal to colonial European characteristics. Through an examination into the idealisation of Polynesia and the Pacific, Hattie Shand will explore revisionist attitudes towards the previously suppressed Pacific narrative of colonial conquest, revealing the subordination of the region as the "other." Hattie will problematise the romanticisation of Polynesia and the Pacific by the West and for the West in regards to its contemporary political and cultural representation today.

Jacob Barry is in his final semester of his International and Global Studies undergraduate degree at the University of Sydney. He has recently returned from studying abroad in Madrid, where he attended Universidad Carlos III.

Isabella Crowe is an Honours year student at UNSW, completing a Bachelor of International Studies with minors in International Relations, Development and French.

Paris Fleury is in her final semester at the University of Sydney, where she is studying for a Bachelor of Arts (Politics and International Relations, French).

Jie Rui Lin is a third-year Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Advanced Studies student majoring in Business Analytics and International Relations at the University of Sydney.

Adam Scislowski is a fifth-year undergraduate studying International Studies and Media at the University of New South Wales. Furthermore, he has recently completed a year abroad at the University of Pennsylvania in the USA.

Harriet (Hattie) Shand is in her third year at the University of New South Wales, where she is studying a Bachelor of Law and Arts (Asian Studies, Politics and International Relations).

REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 4:00PM AEST ON Tuesday, June 25

We will have space for a limited number of participants in-person at the Glover Cottages, tickets to be pre-paid. Once the limit for in-person attendees is reached, tickets will no longer be sold on the website or at the door.

Refreshments will be served.

For further information please email: nswexec@internationalaffairs.org.au

Photo from left to right: Paris, Hattie, Adam, Jie, Isabella and Jacob