Indonesian Politics

New Mandala’s most read in 2018

Revisit the 20 most popular articles published at New Mandala this year.

Habib Bahar’s fifteen minutes of infamy

An eccentric—and violent—Islamic preacher has been catapulted to fame in Indonesia after becoming a target of the authorities.

Notes on 212 in 2018: more politics, less unity

The second reunion of the 2016 anti-Ahok rally was a show of force from FPI ahead of elections.

audiopelago: a podcast about Indonesia

Listen to New Mandala's monthly Indonesia podcast.

Watch the 2018 ANU Indonesia Update

Expert speakers discuss the state of Indonesia's politics and economy in 2018, with the focus on the status of minorities.

Film review: ‘Asimetris’

A provocative documentary examines the asymmetries of Indonesia’s oil palm boom, but leaves some difficult questions unaddressed.

Jokowi’s authoritarian turn

Once hailed as the saviour of the democratic status quo, Indonesia’s president is now busily degrading democratic norms.

Ma’ruf Amin and the inclusion–moderation thesis

Would high political office discipline Ma’ruf Amin’s conservatism, or would his conservatism influence government policy?

VIDEO: ANU Indonesia Political & Economic Update 2018

Livestream the annual in-depth updates on Indonesia's politics and economy.

Taking parliament to the people in Indonesia

Aid-supported 'participatory recess' programs are promoting healthier communication between MPs and constituents. But it won't transform politics unless parties sign on wholesale.

Ma’ruf Amin: Jokowi’s Islamic defender or deadweight?

Progressives may hope that Ma’ruf’s conservatism will be checked by realpolitik.

The fault lines between rich and poor in Lombok quake

Notes from a research trip interrupted by Indonesia’s most deadly earthquake in years.

Nahdlatul Ulama is home to its own hardliners

The NU Garis Lurus or 'true path NU' movement shows how the moderate stance of Indonesia's largest Islamic organisation is being internally contested.

Apply now to be a New Mandala Indonesia Correspondent Fellow

New Mandala is looking for emerging Indonesian experts to write about Indonesia's biggest policy challenges in the lead up to the 2019 polls.

Nahdlatul Ulama and the politics trap

A pillar of Indonesian civil society faces an ever more acute dilemma between representing a religious community and securing resources and influence within government.

Shariah, dakwah, and rock ’n’ roll: Pemuda Hijrah in Bandung

A movement making piety cool for youth alienated from traditional religious organisations has become a national phenomenon in Indonesia.

An interview with Ridwan Kamil

On 'black campaigns', the Islamic vote, and upcoming presidential elections.

Measuring religious intolerance across Indonesian provinces

Trying out a more sophisticated measure of how religious intolerance varies across Indonesia's provinces.

Millennials won’t rescue Indonesia

Beyond the media hype, the new Indonesia Solidarity Party (PSI) isn’t much different from the conservative, oligarch-linked parties we’re used to.

Mapping the Indonesian political spectrum

A new survey shows that political parties are divided only by their attitudes on Islam.

Indonesia’s regions a test bed for civil society influence

Nearly two decades of decentralisation have shown the promise and challenges for Indonesia's civil society.

Civic structures and uncivil demands in Indonesia

Looking at Indonesia's grassroots neighbourhood associations helps us understand the perils of aligning civil society with elite interests.

Kartini and ‘Kartini’

On the many meanings of Hari Kartini, Indonesia's annual celebration of its most famous colonial-era feminist thinker.

Ghosts in the machine

An in-depth investigation into the land deals behind the downfall of one of Indonesia's most senior judges.