Handbook

The course offers exploration of Indonesia’s history from pre-colonial to colonial times and decolonisation, post-colonial states, democratic change, contemporary challenges, and its place in the world. The course is a foundation to understand further of contemporary Indonesia (e.g. development policies, civil-military relations, and Islam) for advanced learners.

As a modern nation Indonesia has encountered turbulence since its independence following the end of the World War 2 in its attempts to bring about stability and order in the field of politics, economy, and democracy. This has included experimentation in liberalism, socialism, communism, Islamic state, and some forms of democracy (e.g. guided democracy, Pancasila democracy) to bring welfare to its people and to make the country relevant in the global context.

Predicted as one of countries with significant economic potentials in 2050, with growing middle-class and strategic geography (especially to Australia), Indonesia with its political and economic dynamics as well the nation’s ideological and cultural aspirations demand some kind of explanation of how it came about, where it now stands, and where it may be heading in the future.