Jul - Sep 2009

Election politics

Election politics
This edition of Inside Indonesia examines the role of money, religion and much else in this year’s elections - Edward Aspinall

Chaos and consolidation
The April 2009 legislative polls exposed weaknesses in Indonesia’s electoral management, but the results will help to strengthen the democratic polity - Marcus Mietzner

The eagle has crash-landed
Despite an unprecedented media campaign, Prabowo Subianto’s political comeback has fallen flat ... for now - Dirk Tomsa

Down but not out
Islamic political parties did not do well, but Islamic politics are going mainstream - Bernhard Platzdasch

Dominant but weak
Signs of underlying fragility in nationalist parties may benefit Islamic parties in future elections - Thomas B. Pepinsky

Symbols and signs
Photo-essay: PKS is often depicted as radical Islamists, but its members show evidence of ideological diversity - Jeremy Menchik

Seeking representation
Activists in Palu remain confined to the political margins - Dave McRae

Feeling cheated, acting apathetic
Many Indonesian students face obstacles voting, but they aren’t much interested anyway - Benita Chudleigh

Suicide and progress in modern Nusantara
While it’s tragic that some candidates kill themselves after Indonesian elections, at least they aren’t killing each other - Michael Buehler

Not just an elite game
In Bali, it’s neither policy, parties nor entrenched elites, but image-savvy politicians and an all-powerful media that are dominating the new electoral landscape - Graeme MacRae and I Nyoman Darma Putra

Winning the villages
Grassroots political operators hold the key to many candidates’ success - Achmad Uzair Fauzan

Purchasing Power
Weak rules and weak implementation meant that influence could still be bought in the 2009 elections - Indonesia Corruption Watch

Weekly Articles

Islam and nation
Review: Edward Aspinall’s ambitious study of the Acehnese rebellion provides valuable insights into this complex conflict -  Steven Drakeley

A shadow falls
Review: Andrew Beatty’s new book tells the story of his experiences in a Banyuwangi village - Nicholas Herriman

The right to choose
Indonesian activists keep fighting to have abortion decriminalised - Terence H. Hull and Ninuk Widyantoro

Genocide and demographic transformation in Papua
A response to Jim Elmslie and Stuart Upton - Richard Chauvel

Not just another disaster
Papuan claims of genocide deserve to be taken seriously ... Jim Elmslie

A disaster, but not genocide
Migration has caused many problems in Papua, but it is not part of a genocidal master plan ... Stuart Upton

Heritage and paradox
Wayang Golek is proclaimed a masterpiece, but what is its future? - Sarah Anaïs Andrieu

Not just a piece of paper
The state’s requirements for marriage registration disadvantage poor rural women - Maria Platt

Munir’s murderer still free
Memo to SBY: solve your biggest human rights problem now! - Setyo Budi

W.S.Rendra (1935-2009)
The peacock is no more - Barbara Hatley

‘When Love Glorifies God’
Islamic film is emerging as a new genre in the Indonesian film world - Ekky Imanjaya

Decorated for success
Photo essay: Competition leads to artistry and danger on the streets of Kupang - Helene van Klinken

Equal access?
Indonesia’s premier university needs to take action to improve facilities for disabled students - Eva Rahmi Kasim

Ponari and the sorcerer’s stone
A little boy’s miracle-working throws light on the workings of the Indonesian state and the hunger for salvation amongst ordinary people - M. Fajar

The Aceh Party
The elections were tense in Aceh but in the end helped to consolidate the peace process - Blair Palmer