In this episode, we speak to Dr Erin Watson who is a public affairs specialist with over 14 years of experience in policy, research, and programs. Prior to establishing her own boutique consultancy, Erin worked in senior leadership roles at Australian universities and think tanks where she built a reputation for her public affairs and research. Erin has represented Australia at G20 meetings in seven countries, published reports for the United Nations, and regularly files for the Economist Intelligence Unit. Currently, she is a Board Director of the Council on Australia and Latin America Relations (COALAR) at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade appointed by the Foreign Minister in 2021. Erin regularly appears on the ABC Australia, CNN News18 India, ITV NewsX India, and Sky News Australia. You can follow Erin on Twitter @erinwatsonlynn

We met on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue 2022 and this conversation took place right after Erin moderated a fantastic panel on the digital future of the Indo-Pacific and e-governance initiatives of countries. Our wide-ranging conversation covers themes including the upcoming G20 summit & its opportunities of cooperation for India & Australia, India's foreign policy ambitions, Australia's "middle power" diplomacy, her thesis on the role of women’s entrepreneurship among the Indian diaspora in Australia and her unique experiences as a theorist who applies her craft on real-world, practical problems.

Shownotes:

1. The G20 “diplomacy dividend”, The Interpreter, Lowy Institute, https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/g20-diplomacy-dividend

2. The G20’s existential crisis, The Interpreter, Lowy Institute, https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/g20-s-existential-crisis

3. Digital futures – financial inclusion in the Asia-Pacific, United Nations, ESCAP, https://www.unescap.org/blog/digital-futures-financial-inclusion-asia-pacific
 
4. Intersectional Mixed Embeddedness: Women Entrepreneurs in the Indian Diaspora in Australia, Monash University, https://bit.ly/38yjN6U

5. The panel moderated by Erin at Raisina Dialogue 2022, ORF, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU-de3X_3pM

Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2022), "The New Age Diplomacy & Development Series ft. Dr. Erin Watson-Lynn", 18 May, 2022, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/10634675

Research Credits:
Carl

Music Credits:
Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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