Indonesia Rising? (POLS90049)

Geography, population, and religion have always made Indonesia and its preceding social formations a critical part of Asia, but for some the country’s economic growth and exit from military rule lead to the emergence of the “Indonesian tiger”, “the repositioning of Asia’s third giant”, and the birth of Indonesia “as a normal country”. Yet endemic corruption, predatory power structures, dysfunctional elements in government, the repression of profound historical trauma within living memory, rising religious intolerance, and persisting elements of military autonomy press the scales in the other direction. Moreover, a distinctive and activist foreign policy faces profound challenges from geopolitical shifts and from the vicissitudes of globalisation in its economic, financial, ecological, and cultural dimensions. A key concern will be the implications of these issues for Indonesia-Australia relations. The subject will also address the effects of the interaction of internal and external elements, locating Indonesia as an agent within, as well as a consequence of, historical and contemporary global dynamics. In addition to guest lecturers from Australia and Indonesia, the subject will also feature presentations by practitioners from politics, the military, and business.

Please Note:

The subject is taught two times per year. It is available either as a semester-long subject taught on the Parkville campus or as an overseas subject taught at the University of Indonesia in July. 

The July offering will be taught intensively on location at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia. The subject will consist mainly of seminars held at the Faculty, with some field visits in Jakarta. Please note that there is a pre-teaching requirement, during which time students will be required to access subject materials on the LMS, and attend a pre-departure briefing on-campus.