Indonesia Rising? (ASIA90018)

Indonesia’s emergence as a democratic and decentralized power and Southeast Asia’s only member of the G20 is transforming its relations with its ASEAN neighbours as well as the major regional powers. As a functioning democracy and the largest Muslim nation, Indonesia has a particular position in the global Islamic community. Moreover, a distinctive and activist foreign policy faces profound challenges from geopolitical shifts and from the vicissitudes of globalisation. These same geopolitical shifts will also transform Indonesia-Australia relations, albeit in uncertain ways. This subject will address the effects of the interaction of domestic and international factors on Indonesia’s future trajectory as a nation-state, locating Indonesia as an agent within historical and contemporary global dynamics. To augment the regular classroom sessions, Indonesian and Australian experts and practitioners will also provide guest presentations.