Oct 18, 2021 Last Updated 1:13 AM, Oct 14, 2021

Inside Indonesia

Society

‘I am an Indonesian citizen!’

A group of people pose smiling for someone taking a photo on their phone.

What does exercising citizenship in Indonesia's democracy look like?

Labour takes a citizenship approach

A woman tips a coin tin over another woman's open palm.

Despite the impressive activism of Pekalongan’s labour union, its political clout remains limited

Fighting apathy, seeking engagement

Students travelling by ojek to their KKN destination. (Sarah Windred)

Students have mixed feelings about a mandatory community service program at Indonesian universities

Review: Four perspectives on Hanung Bramantyo’s Kartini

Hanung Bramantyo's 'Kartini' (featuring Dian Sastrowardoyo as lead) touches on themes still relevant today. (Legacy Pictures)

Reviewing the history behind and themes in Hanung Bramantyo's Kartini

HIV-positive mothers left behind

‘Staying strong for my children’: by a HIV-positive single mother of six, with one child HIV positive. (Najmah)

Married women endure the highest rate of new HIV infection in Indonesia

Reviews: Writing Australia and Indonesia

A group of Australia Awards alumni pose for a picture at the 2014 Alumni Dinner, Indonesia.

Reviews: ‘Linking People’ and ‘Troppo’

Indonesia’s woman to watch

Yenny Wahid readjusts her headscarf fabric.

Yenny Wahid is the new face of moderate Islam

Old and poor

An old woman walks down the street.

Indonesia’s welfare schemes are failing to support older citizens

Review: Hope and despair in Aceh

Mahdi Abdullah speaks to guests at Transmemorabilia. (Australia Plus)

Contemporary Indonesian painter Mahdi Abdullah exhibits Acehnese culture in Melbourne

New law, new villages?

One of many seminars for discussing the content of new Village Law (© Yando Zakaria, Yogyakarta, July 2013)

The new Village Law could substantially change Indonesia’s villages. Not necessarily for the better.

Creating Indonesia’s Village Law

A coalition of civil society organisations campaigned for the new Village Law. (©Yando Zakaria, Jakarta 4 July 2013)

How a law that goes against many vested interests was enacted

The myth of the harmonious village

Abraham Salm, ‘Village feast in the vicinity of Ardjoeno, Surabaya residency’ - Source: KITLV digital image library, http://media-kitlv.nl

Indonesia’s Village Law fails to provide village communities with control over their elites

New law, old bureaucracy

‘New Law - new village office’ seems to be the rule all over the country (© Jacqueline Vel, Central Sumba, August 2016)

Taking stock after two years of village law implementation

The village head as patron

Although illegal, village heads often support candidates during district head elections - Source: Ward Berenschot

The Village Law might restore the dominance that village heads enjoyed under Suharto

Participation in Ngada

Discussion about village development in a Ngada hamlet - Source: Lily Hoo

Why residents in Ngada district are exceptionally eager to take part in village meetings

When village development fails

A ‘development monument’: an unused Community Health center in Papua - Source: Yulia Indri Sari

Faulty administrative procedures led to the misuse of village development funds in Papua

Traditional village institutions and the Village Law

Villagers staging a protest in Bali - Source: Agung Wardana

The Village Law provides recognition for traditional village institutions, but villagers in Bali and Mentawai are not interested

Hope in the darkness

Kalsoom Jaffari has dedicated her life in Indonesia to helping other refugees

A Hazara fleeing persecution has dedicated her life in Indonesia to helping her fellow refugees in Bogor

A lottery love affair

Discussing the lottery at the end of the day. (Thijs Schut)

On the island of Flores, a Singaporean lottery based on the Chinese zodiac is a popular pastime

Online dating apps blocked

Screenshot: A young man looks over the Grindr app interface. (Brondongmanis Channel via Youtube)

A government crackdown on dating apps is depriving LGBT Indonesians of a crucial resource

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Latest Articles

The isolation poems by Putu Oka Sukanta

Oct 09, 2021 - PUTU OKA SUKANTA, VANNESSA HEARMAN & KIERNAN BOX

Supplied by Putu Oka Sukanta. Photograph by Lara Norgaard.

Poems by Putu Oka Sukanta were translated by Vannessa Hearman and Kiernan Box with commentary written by Vannessa Hearman based on her interview with the poet.

Reshaping masculine cultures of terrorism

Sep 20, 2021 - NOOR HUDA ISMAIL

Young men gather at Monas, Jakarta / Francisco Anzola @Flickr creative commons

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A lost generation

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Thousands of children have been orphaned and ostracised as the pandemic crisis continues to spiral

Film review: Kinipan

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Photo essay: Banyutowo harmony

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Locally bought fishermen’s catch at Banyutowo Fish Auction House

A fishing village on the northern tip of Java stays true to its roots

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