AAPS Conferences

Hosted in 2025 by the University of Sydney, our gathering focused on exploring and navigating the concepts of discourses and destinies, and how they related to the Pacific—its people and places.

Much attention – locally, regionally and globally – continues to be placed on the Pacific. Whether it’s being contested through geopolitical endeavours, to being celebrated for its traditional cultures, the Pacific is no stranger to attention. However, who determines how the region is understood is key to this conversation. Is it the highest bidder for the natural resources that control these narratives, or the local communities that generally don’t benefit from such financial investments and exploitations? Is it the military power that exercises more diplomatic prowess, or Indigenous wisdoms from across the region?

This conference aimed to explore these tensions, while also showcasing Pacific strengths and solutions in the ongoing effort to understand the underlying discourses that shaped the possible destinies of the Pacific region and beyond. The event encouraged an intersectional talanoa, prompting participants to consider how their disciplinary perspectives and practices interacted with the complexities of Pacific discourses and destinies.