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PUBLIC TALK: A HISTORY OF POLITICS OF AUSTRALIAN-INDONESIAN SOLIDARITY
A HISTORY OF POLITICS OF AUSTRALIAN-INDONESIAN SOLIDARITY From INSIDE INDONESIA to Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor (ASIET): Understanding Contradictions in People-to-People Politics 1981-1998. Organised by Indonesian Politics Discussion Forum Co-Sponsored by Asia Institute, University of Melbourne Speaker: Dr Max Lane. Venue Kathleen Syme Library, Carlton 5-7pm April 30. In the early 1980s, […]
A CULTURAL BLOW TO AN ERODING POLITICAL TABOO: VIEWING “EKSIL” (THE EXILES), A HIT DOCUMENTARY by Max Lane
A popular documentary about ten exiles has had an extraordinary run in Indonesia, not least because it sings a different tune from the official historical narrative about the Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI) and its supporters, perpetuated since the Suharto era. Read HERE
“The Twin Axis in Indonesian Politics: Elite Personal Ambition and the Alienation of Civil Society” by Max Lane
“A 20-year process of consolidation of a homogeneous political outlook among the parties controlling the Indonesian electoral scene has facilitated a political life that is dominated by personal rivalry and ambitions, and which has opened the way for dynasty building.” “Meanwhile, the quandary for civil society – whether to build towards an outright opposition to […]
COMMENTARY by MAX LANE: INDONESIA – OUT OF THE “ELEKTABILITAS” MIRE COMES THE PUSH FOR DYNASTIC POWER
The lack of real political difference among the various contenders for the top political job in Indonesia has paved the way for the culture of political dynasties to strengthen. Will this culture win out? The votes will tell. “However, elektabilitas calculations are prevailing. Gibran/Prabowo might calculate that they might lose the middle-class liberal vote but still be […]
ON CONQUEST by Max Lane
“What should determine a sane, humane outlook is whether or not imperialism’s stranglehold on the Global South will be strengthened or weakened. The weaker the stranglehold, the greater potential for new movements to emerge and grow.” Click here for article.
JOKOWI’S MANOEUVRES IN DEFIANCE OF MEGAWATI AIMED AT CONSOLIDATING FUTURE POSITION by Max Lane
How does an outgoing president secure his political future without the usual party mechanism?? “It soon became clear that Widodo was not on the same wavelength as Megawati. Despite being seated at the press conference nominating Ganjar, Widodo quickly made it clear that he was not automatically going to support Ganjar. At a well-funded mass gathering of […]
Will the Labour Party Successfully Challenge the Dominance of “Elektabilitas” Politics in Indonesia? by Max Lane
A small new party is sticking to its ideological guns but will it make a dent in the established elite’s stranglehold on Indonesia’s electoral politics. Click here
Reviews of INDONESIA OUT OF EXILE: How Pramoedya’s Buru Quartet Killed a Dictatorship by Max Lane
RAPPLER ‘Indonesia Out of Exile’: Imagination and liberation Walden Bello June 29. 2023 https://www.rappler.com/voices/thought-leaders/opinion-indonesia-out-of-exile-book-review/?fbclid=IwAR3wY1xs7FMwOPN3SoUbwEJ6lhLag17rcMnsJ7lMQrStuuwsBuTtYAY99PU SYDNEY MORNING HERALD How a political prisoner’s novels gave Indonesia a sense of history Chris Barrett 23 February, 2023 https://www.smh.com.au/culture/books/how-a-political-prisoner-s-novels-gave-indonesia-a-sense-of-history-20230220-p5clwq.html?fbclid=IwAR1TEmrmp1cjqhDm4MM_w5Wk8vl5dLMphgkz3y8VL9cgeA3yxXT5LUo3i8E JAKARTA POST Understanding the impact of Pramoedya’s ‘Buru Quartet’ Tunggul Wirajuda 22 February, 2023https://www.thejakartapost.com/culture/2023/02/22/understanding-the-impact-of-pramoedyas-buru-quartet.html? MEER.COM Pramoedya Ananta Toer – An Indonesian literary […]
INDONESIA 2024: COALITION MANOEUVRES HEADING FOR A SINGLE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE? by Max Lane
More elaborate politicking for the 2024 presidential race in Indonesia has not thrown up a clear frontrunner; watch this space. With the 2024 presidential and general elections (GE) just one year away, coalition fever has started in Indonesia. Under current law, the presidential and vice-presidential teams can be nominated only by a party or a […]
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