Recent Indonesia Study Group Meeting November 13, 2009
Posted by Ross McLeod in Indonesia Study Group.Tags: Indonesia, military, police, security
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Wednesday, 18th November, 12.30 – 2.00 pm in Seminar Room B, Coombs Building, ANU
David Jansen Department of Political & Social Change, RSPAS, ANU
Networked Security: A Case Study of How State and Non-State Security Actors Interact at the Regional Level.
Security sector reforms that began after 1998 have brought about a withdrawal of the Indonesian military (TNI) from the internal security sector. In an ironic break with the past, the Indonesian police (POLRI) have become the main security provider in Indonesia today. Despite this, scholarly study has allocated a disproportionate amount of attention to the military, while interest in the much more practically significant Indonesian police has languished. Arguably, studies of security in Indonesia would benefit greatly from more analysis of two key areas: firstly more research is required on the “interagency”, the area where multiple security organisations interact in the joint production of security. Secondly, we require qualitative case studies of how security is actually managed in the regions. My presentation seeks to partly fill this gap by reviewing relations among security organisations in a case study site from Central Java. My talk suggests that much greater cooperation actually occurs between police, military and other security entities than previously thought. My research also points to the need to radically reassess the significance of the national police in studies of Indonesian security.
The committee welcomes suggestions for seminar speakers and topics. Please contact any of us: Ed Aspinall x 5591 5; Greg Fealy x 52302: John McCarthy x 50494: Budy Resosudarmo x 52244: Ditya Nurdianto x 56215, Marcus Mietzner x 57241
If you would like to be added to the ISG mailing list, please send your contact details, including your email address, to indonesia.project@anu.edu.au.
Recent Indonesia Study Group Meeting November 10, 2009
Posted by Ross McLeod in Indonesia Study Group.Tags: education, income redistribution, Indonesia, politics
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Wednesday, 11th November, 12.30 – 2.00 pm in Seminar Room B, Coombs Building, ANU
Andrew Rosser, School of Social Sciences, University of Adelaide
The Politics of ‘Free’ Basic Education in Indonesia
The committee welcomes suggestions for seminar speakers and topics. Please contact any of us: Ed Aspinall x 5591 5; Greg Fealy x 52302: John McCarthy x 50494: Budy Resosudarmo x 52244: Ditya Nurdianto x 56215, Marcus Mietzner x 57241
If you would like to be added to the ISG mailing list, please send your contact details, including your email address, to indonesia.project@anu.edu.au.
Recent Indonesia Study Group Meeting October 22, 2009
Posted by Ross McLeod in Indonesia Study Group.Tags: crisis, history, Indonesia
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Wednesday, 28 October, 12.30 – 2.00 pm in Seminar Room B, Coombs Building, ANU
Vencentius Hoeben
Constructing the Indonesian Nation through Crises. Representations and Realities
How Indonesia as a nation is constructed through cultural memory seems at the moment more problematic than ever. Many of the memory figures of the New Order seem to have lost their meaning and Indonesia is on a journey to reinvent itself. My talk argues that, in contrast to much of the memory making that has been done until now, the Indonesian nation has emerged from multiple crises instead of long term historical continuities. What could then be envisaged as the ‘new Indonesian history’ as pillar of a democratic Indonesia?
The committee welcomes suggestions for seminar speakers and topics. Please contact any of us: Ed Aspinall x 5591 5; Greg Fealy x 52302: John McCarthy x 50494: Budy Resosudarmo x 52244: Ditya Nurdianto x 56215, Marcus Mietzner x 57241
If you would like to be added to the ISG mailing list, please send your contact details, including your email address, to indonesia.project@anu.edu.au.
Affirmative Action and Car Racing October 13, 2009
Posted by Ross McLeod in Essays and Comments.Tags: elections, Indonesia, politics
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Last week the Indonesia Project ran its 27th Indonesia Update conference, on the topic Democracy in Practice. A most enjoyable and informative event—a credit to the organisers and convenors. But by Sunday I felt the need to relax, so I watched the telecast of Australia’s biggest car race for the year—the Bathurst 1000. Somewhat surprisingly, there was an interesting connection between these two quite disparate events.
One of the conference sessions was about women in Indonesian politics—or the lack thereof. The basic message of both speakers was that there were not enough women in politics, that democracy would work better if there were more, that the idea of a 30% minimum quota for women was a good one, and that there was a need to find better ways to make this quota more effective.
It was noted that only 18% of DPR members, very few heads of local governments, and no provincial governors will be women following the most recent round of elections. And it was strongly implied that these outcomes were ‘wrong’.
In the Bathurst 1000 the same problem was apparent. The 32 racing teams were made up of 63 men and only one woman. And yet there seemed to be no suggestion that this outcome was ‘wrong’, much less that it required a change in the rules so as to ensure that there were more women drivers.
There are only two types of car in the Bathurst 1000: Fords and Holdens. Besides the manufacturers, each team is also sponsored by other companies, whose names and logos are prominently displayed. The manufacturers and these other sponsors invest a lot of money—and stand to gain a great deal if their team wins. It follows that the selection of drivers is very important to them. If only one woman is selected, there is presumably a good reason.
I can think of only two explanations. It may be that men are inherently better drivers, but I find that implausible. It seems more likely that there are far fewer women than men to choose from. My guess is that relatively few women see car racing as an attractive career option, for whatever reason. In other words, it seems more realistic to see women excluding themselves than to imagine that the sponsors would exclude them for no reason other than their gender.
Which brings us back to politics. Political parties are like profit-oriented enterprises. They are in the business of gauging voter sentiment, selecting candidates for election in accordance with their judgement as to which candidates are most likely to commend themselves to voters, and providing the necessary support to the selected candidates to give them a strong chance of winning. In other words, their role is exactly analogous to the firms that supply vehicles and other support to teams of drivers in car races.
If they misread voters, or make bad candidate selections, they will fail to gain representation in Parliament, which will reduce their chances of attracting good candidates in the future. Persistent electoral failure will see them wither and die.
So why don’t they have more female candidates? It may be that men are inherently more capable as politicians, but again I find that implausible. It seems more likely that there are far fewer women than men to choose from. My guess is that relatively few women see politics as an attractive career option, for whatever reason. In other words, it seems more realistic to see women excluding themselves than to imagine that the political parties would exclude them for no reason other than their gender.
The example of PDI-P choosing Megawati Soekarnoputri several times over as its candidate for president, because of her perceived electability, supports this view. At the same time, parties that have argued on (religious) principle against Indonesia having a female president have been largely shunned by voters, most of whom do not share this view.
Neither of the speakers at the conference even mentioned the possibility that relatively few women try to gain party pre-selection. Presumably such data would be hard to obtain, but without them the accusation that political parties consistently discriminate against women seems empty.
If this argument is correct, the seemingly inescapable conclusion is that the idea of imposing a minimum quota for female representation in parliaments is fundamentally anti-democratic. What it amounts to is reducing voters’ freedom of choice over candidates—since, for any total number of candidates, this would necessarily reduce the number of male candidates, replacing some of them with female candidates who, in the judgement of the political parties, are likely to be less attractive to the voters.
When commentators from the intelligentsia put pressure on governments to impose their own ideas about what is the ‘right’ proportion of female candidates for election, democracy is in peril. It came as a surprise to this participant, therefore, that in a conference grounded in an apparently unanimous belief in the inherent desirability of democracy, no dissenting opinion on this particular issue was heard.
Recent Indonesia Study Group Meeting October 13, 2009
Posted by Ross McLeod in Indonesia Study Group.Tags: employment, Indonesia, labour market regulation, minimum wages
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Wednesday, 21 October, 12.30 – 2.00 pm in Seminar Room B, Coombs Building, ANU
Devanto Pratomo Brawijaya University
The Effects of Changes in Minimum Wage on Wages and Employment in the Covered and Uncovered Sectors in Indonesia
The committee welcomes suggestions for seminar speakers and topics. Please contact any of us: Ed Aspinall x 5591 5; Greg Fealy x 52302: John McCarthy x 50494: Budy Resosudarmo x 52244: Ditya Nurdianto x 56215, Marcus Mietzner x 57241
If you would like to be added to the ISG mailing list, please send your contact details, including your email address, to indonesia.project@anu.edu.au.
Recent Indonesia Study Group Meeting September 17, 2009
Posted by Ross McLeod in Indonesia Study Group.Tags: China, Indonesia, migration
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Wednesday 23 September, 12.30 to 2.00 pm in Seminar Room B, Coombs Building, ANU
Chris Manning & Budy Resosudarmo Indonesia Project, Economics Division RSPAS
Making it in the City: Some results from the first round of the China Indonesia study, ‘The Great Migration’
The committee welcomes suggestions for seminar speakers and topics. Please contact any of us: Ed Aspinall x 5591 5; Greg Fealy x 52302: John McCarthy x 50494: Budy Resosudarmo x 52244: Ditya Nurdianto x 56215, Marcus Mietzner x 57241
If you would like to be added to the ISG mailing list, please send your contact details, including your email address, to indonesia.project@anu.edu.au.
Recent Indonesia Study Group Meeting September 7, 2009
Posted by Ross McLeod in Indonesia Study Group.Tags: Indonesia, terrorism
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Thursday, 10 September 12:00 to 1:30 pm in HB2, Hedley Bull Building, Cnr Liversidge & Garran Rds, ANU
Greg Fealy, Sally White and Ken Ward Political and Social Change, RSPAS, Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute, CASS
The 17 July Terrorist Bombings in Jakarta and their Aftermath
The committee welcomes suggestions for seminar speakers and topics.
COMMITTEE FOR 2009:
Ed Aspinall x55915
Greg Fealy x52302
John McCarthy x50494
Chris Manning x53885
Ditya Nurdianto x56215
Marcus Mietzner x57241
If you would like to be added to the ISG mailing list, please send your contact details, including your email address, to indonesia.project@anu.edu.au
Press Freedom and the Media Business in Indonesia September 2, 2009
Posted by Ross McLeod in News from the Indonesia Project.Tags: Indonesia, media, press
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The Southeast Asia Center at the Faculty of Asian Studies is pleased to invite you to the second event of its new seminar series held completely in a Southeast Asian language.
This seminar will be conducted in Indonesian.
Tuesday, 8 September, 1pm
Room 1.21 Baldessin Precinct Building
Azrul Ananda, Deputy CEO, Jawa Pos
Kebebasan Pers dan Bisnis Media di Indonesia
For further details, please contact Dr Marcus Mietzner at marcus.mietzner@anu.edu.au.
Study Indonesian… in Indonesia! August 29, 2009
Posted by Ross McLeod in News from the Indonesia Project.Tags: Indonesia, language study
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In-Country Programs
The Southeast Asia Centre of the Australian National University is currently expanding its in-country programs in Indonesia in two sets of option: intensive language instruction and work experience. Through the University’s new scheme called Graduate Studies Select, these courses are open to new and diverse participants such as those in business community, government offices, NGOs, professionals, postgraduate as well undergraduate students, students from other universities, international students. Those participating in our newly expanded internship study course can choose to have a work experience in one of ten institutions with very different areas of interest: journalism, media watch, legal aid, relief and development, grass roots civil rights education, health and environment, performing arts, and education.
A special evening information session is open to all interested: Thursday, 29 October 2009, at 5:30-6:30pm, in the Hedley Bull Centre (Building 130), Corner Garran Road & Liversidge Street, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT. A copy of the flyer can be downloaded for print here.
For enquiries regarding the Intensive Language or the Practical Assignment courses please contact Amrih Widodo T: 61 2 6125 4327. For queries relating to enrolling in either program as part of the Graduate Studies Select degree please contact Dr Anna Robinson , T: 61 2 6125 5487.
Seminar: ‘Fundamentalisasi’ Kaum Muda di Indonesia? Studi di Tujuh Kota August 27, 2009
Posted by Ross McLeod in News from the Indonesia Project.Tags: Indonesia, religious fundamentalism
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Tuesday, 1 September 2009, 1-2pm, Baldessin Precinct Building, Room 1.21 (First floor)
Farha Ciciek Rahima, Indonesia
NB: Presentation will be in Bahasa Indonesia.
Banyak orang masih menganggap bahwa fanatisme bahkan ‘fundamentalisasi’ agama semata-mata lahir dari lembaga keagamaan seperti pesantren, masjid, organisasi politik atau organisasi massa berbasis agama. Dalam kenyataannya, anggapan tersebut tidak selalu benar. Penelitian tentang Religiusitas Kaum Muda: Studi di Tujuh Kota menemukan bahwa institusi sekular seperti sekolah umum (public school), khususnya ditingkat Sekolah Lanjutan Tingkat Atas (SLTA) telah mengalami proses ‘fundamentalisasi’ juga. Di antara penandanya adalah semakin merebaknya pandangan dunia yang absolut (di mana klaim kebenaran tunggal bagi kelompok sendiri), kecenderungan intoleransi kepada perbedaan (terutama kelompok/aliran agama yang berbeda) dan ‘pewajaran’ diskriminasi terhadap perempuan di lingkungan pelajar/sekolah.
Proses-proses tersebut tidak bisa dipisahkan dari keberadaan organisasi ekstra kulikuler keagamaan OSIS (Organisasi Siswa Intra sekolah). Mengapa demikian? Hal ini sangat terkait dengan perubahan social politik yang terjadi di tanah air dalam beberapa dasawarsa belakangan. Khususnya kebijakan politik semasa ORBA.
Di era 80-an, di saat ORBA berupaya mengamankan kekuasannya, ekspresi keagamaan yang dianggap bernuansa politik dan membahayakan eksistensinya berusaha dikontrol. Hal ini berlaku di semua lingkungan dan level masyarakat termasuk di lingkungan sekolah. Dalam kerangka mengamankan ORBA dari berbagai paham agama maupun sekular (tersohor dengan istilah ekstrim kanan dan ekstrim kiri) yang mengancamnya berbagai upaya dilakukan.
Salah atu langkah pengamanan yang dipaksakan adalah pelarangan berbagai organisasi pelajar untuk bergiat di lingkungan sekolah. Pemerintah ORBA hanya mengakui OSIS (Organisasi Intra Sekolah) sebagai satu-satunya wadah yang sah untuk membina pelajar. Akibatnya beberapa organisasi pelajar yang telah lama aktif di sekolah seperti PII (Pelajar Islam Indonesia), IPNU/IPPNU (Ikatan Pelajar Nahdatul Ulama) dan IPM (Ikatan Pelajar Muhammadiyah) terpaksa angkat kaki dari lingkungan sekolah. Bahkan ironisnya bagi sekolah Muhammadiyah dan NU, organisasi pelajarnya (IPM dan IPNU/ IPPNU) harus tersingkir dari ‘rumah’ mereka sendiri (sekolah-sekolah Muhammadiyah dan NU).
Dalam perjalanan waktu, ternyata justru melalui ekskul keagamaan di sekolahlah (yang hendak dikontrol ORBA) berkembang pemikiran dan praktek-praktek ‘fundamentalistik’ di kalangan pelajar dan lingkungan sekolah.
For further information, please contact Dr Marcus Mietzner, Faculty of Asian Studies, at marcus.mietzner@anu.edu.au.