Indonesian Politics

Addressing food security in Indonesia

Food estates are costly and fail to value the application of ecological principles, especially local agroecological practices rooted in local communities.

Webinar: Women’s rights & gender equality in Indonesia

Speakers will examine the extent to which Indonesian women have achieved equality in a broad array of political, economic and social fields

Indonesia’s Jalan tengah in the new age of great power rivalries

Indonesia’s decision to gamble with a degree of its strategic autonomy should thus be regarded as the latest reinterpretation of jalan tengah.

Rethinking memories of Darul Islam

The anti-traditional rule of the Darul Islam movement had a tremendous impact on indigeneity and the way that it is constructed today among the Duri

Rising religious radicalism in Indonesia: roots and shoots

Research conducted in 50 schools revealed that schools have become the arena in which to disseminate radical ideology

The costs of repressing Islamists

The banning of FPI or any other “anti-Pancasila” group is not a shortcut to ending deep-seated discrimination against minorities.

A survivor-centred Sexual Violence Bill in Indonesia?

A survivor-centred perspective can transform the safety of women in society by pivoting on principles of justice and fairness.

Indifference in diversity: ignorance & apathy towards refugees in Indonesia

A new documentary seeks to explore the plight of refugees in Indonesia seeking resettlement in Australia.

Herd immunity/herding constituents: parpol and COVID-19 vaccines in Indonesia #2

These events are heavily political in the distinctively clientelistic sense that dominates in Indonesia.

Herd immunity/herding constituents: parpol and COVID-19 vaccines in Indonesia #1

Online and social media shows that several political parties are actively involved in the vaccination program.

Invoking memories of Darul Islam

Reports from Afghanistan and contemporary memory activism teach us that memories of trauma run deep, as the author and others have found among the Sulawesi survivors of DI/TI.

Indonesia’s sugar scandals

The effects of decisions about sugar made during tumultuous periods in Indonesian history linger into the contemporary era.

Taliban rule restored in Afghanistan: security implications for Indonesia

The loyalty of some Islamist groups to AQ, and by extension, the Taliban, is evident from the content posted on their respective affiliated websites and publications.

Extricating Indonesian children from ISIS influence abroad

Bringing them home is the only option that addresses both the humanitarian and security aim of weakening Indonesian links to terrorist networks abroad. 

Indonesia’s open-door lockdown

Along with the ineffectual lockdown the widely reported graft has fomented outrage and eroded trust in the government’s ability to handle the pandemic and keep its people safe.

Frontline women: unrecognised leadership in Indonesia’s COVID-19 response

Incorporating women's experiences and skills would improve pandemic responses.

Uneven accountability reform: insights from parliament and bureaucracy in Indonesia

A dysfunctional accountability mechanism inhibits progress.

The politics of banning FPI

Survey data points to a certain fragility in FPI’s support, but the longer-term consequences of banning of FPI may be a greater cause for concern. 

Politics of Halal certification: the collapse of the MUI’s long-held monopoly

In the wake of increased government oversight, questions nonetheless remain over the MUI’s accountability.

Why politics matters: an insight from Indonesia’s flood management

Patronage politics, like those predominant in South Kalimantan, are a crucial factor exacerbating climate disasters, and governments rely heavily on inadequate technological solutions to mitigate floods.

Quad and the Test for Indonesia’s Leadership in ASEAN

Will the initiative complement or sideline the existing regional architecture built by ASEAN?

Part 2: The missing new Indonesian Left—leftist amnesia

Just as the Renaissance from the 14th to the 17th centuries overcame the dark Middle Ages by reappraising classical insights, critical history is now imperative.

Part 1: The missing new Indonesian Left

Just as it was particularly difficult for the progressives to withstand repression and killings, reviving the Left after 1965 was equally formidable.

The Malady of Ignorance? Indonesian Parliament During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Losing key Parliamentary functions exacerbates a lack of “checks and balances”