Edition 97: Jul-Sep 2009 - Inside Indonesia: The peoples and cultures of Indonesia

Election politics

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

The April 2009 legislative polls exposed weaknesses in Indonesia’s electoral management, but the results will help to strengthen the democratic polity

Despite an unprecedented media campaign, Prabowo Subianto’s political comeback has fallen flat – for now

Islamic political parties did not do well, but Islamic politics are going mainstream

Signs of underlying fragility in nationalist parties may benefit Islamic parties in future elections

Photo-essay: PKS is often depicted as radical Islamist, but its members show evidence of ideological diversity

Activists in Palu remain confined to the political margins

Many Indonesian students face obstacles voting, but they aren’t much interested anyway

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

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

Election politics

Chaos and consolidation

The eagle has crash-landed

Down but not out

Dominant but weak

Symbols and signs

Seeking representation

Feeling cheated, acting apathetic

Suicide and progress in modern Nusantara

Not just an elite game

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