July - Sept 2005

Women and the arts

More voices
     Women and marginalised groups seize new opportunities in the arts - Barbara Hatley
Woman power
     In Bali, a new all-female dance-drama troupe is flouting traditional gender roles - Rucina Ballinger
Crossing male boundaries
     Confidence crisis for Bali’s women mask dancers - Carmencita Palermo

Popular Culture

Comic heyday!
     Indonesia’s comic scene is in a golden age but the industry remains marginal and plagued
     by self-doubt - Laine Berman
Urban poetry
     Subversive ‘underground’ voices in Indonesian rap - Michael Bodden

Theatre and Film

Film revolution?
     Women are now on both sides of the camera - Krishna Sen
Writing back
     Local theatre in Makassar reveals a backlash against Java-centrism - Lauren Bain

Politics and Human rights

Bloodied but unbowed
     Golkar still dominates Indonesian politics - Dirk Tomsa

Gender Issues

Polygamy and chickens
     This man’s message is simple — four wives are better for business than one - Nina Nurmila
Uniform jilbab
     The Islamic headscarf is now compulsory in many high schools - Lyn Parker

Obituaries

Mochtar Lubis - David Hill
Semsar Siahaan (1952–2005) - Brita Miklouho-Maklai

Aceh

Acehnese voices
     As reconstruction moves into high gear, it’s time to listen to tsunami victims - Andrew Thornley
After the tsunami, the free for all
     International agencies need to understand local groups - Linda Mylle
Aceh’s loss
     Civil society mourns in the tsunami’s aftermath
     - Gerry van Klinken, Lesley McCulloch, Hilmar Farid, Nurdin Abdul Rahman, William Nessen

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