Subject Area: Asian Studies
This course can also be studied in the following specialisations: History & Indonesian Studies
Indonesia is Australia’s most important neighbour. It has been undergoing upheaval since the collapse of the Suharto government in 1998 as groups representing different political, military, religious and ethnic agendas compete for power. This module is a a specialised course on Indonesia, which is the world’s largest Muslim country. The course situates contemporary debates in Indonesia about the role of Islam in government and public life by examining the emergence of Islamic culture and monarchies, the impact of colonial rule by Christian Europeans, and post-independence debates on national identity and citizenship. Topics also include threats to Indonesia’s national integrity from breakway movements in Aceh and Papua, the case of East Timor, and Indonesia’s civil rights movement for constitutional and legal change.