Colonial designs: Thomas Karsten and the planning of urban Indonesia

Thomas Karsten (1885 – 1945) is undoubtedly a major figure in the history of architecture and town planning in Indonesia. Between 1915 and 1941 he was involved in town planning in 12 of the 19 municipalities and towns in Java (the most prominent exception being Surabaya) 3 of the 9 towns in Sumatra, and the only town in Borneo This paper does not attempts to investigate or question his importance in this field but to place his architectural and town planning ideas in the context of his broader politico-cultural ideas and activities in the Dutch East Indies between 1914 and 1942, and these, in turn, in the context of an evolving colonialism and colonial discourse.

Is money targeting an option for Bank Indonesia?

In this paper, using the cash-in-advance model, we estimate Indonesia's money demand function for the period 1970–2005. We find the real M1 and real M2 are cointegrated with their determinants, namely real income, real exchange rate and short-term domestic and foreign interest rates. The long-run elasticities, except for the relationship between M2 and domestic interest rate, are plausible. Interestingly, we find a negative relationship between real exchange rate and real money demand, suggesting evidence of currency substitution. We test for causal relationships and find that in the short-run only the real exchange rate Granger causes real M1 and real M2. Finally, we find that Indonesia's money demand functions are unstable. We conclude that money targeting is not an option for Bank Indonesian and that currency substitution should be curbed in order to ensure macroeconomic sustainability.

Representing Islam: female subjects in Suzanne Fisher Staples's novels

This article offers a reading of Suzanne Fisher Staples's novels Shabanu, Haveli,and Under the Persimmon Tree, drawing on postcolonial theory (in particular, Chandra Talpade Mohanty's essay "Under Western Eyes: Feminist Scholarship and Colonial Discourses" and Edward Said's Orientalism) to inform its analysis of the construction of girls and women in these texts. It argues that the novels' representations of Muslim girls are built on a naturalized contrast between liberal humanist paradigms of individualism and personal freedom, and homogenizing depictions of oppressed Muslim females, thus producing Orientalist distinctions between the West and the Orient.

Indonesia in 2006 : cautious reform

Indonesia in 2006 appeared to be stabilizing after several years of political and economic upheaval. Cautious reforms continued, but official corruption remained problematic. It appeared that the Aceh conflict was over. At year's end, Indonesia still faced many daunting problems but appeared to be charting a steadier course.

The free Aceh movement : Islam and democratisation

The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has been characterised by some observers and the Indonesian government as being a radical Islamic organisation intent on establishing an Islamic state in northern Sumatra. This article explores GAM's relationship with Islam and shows that while GAM members are devout Muslims and that Islam pervades their political thinking, the organisation and its members are explicitly opposed to the creation of an Islamic state or the imposition of Islamic law. The article reports how senior members of GAM's hierarchy discuss their personal relationship with Islam, noting consistencies and differences in their approaches. A common theme is that Islam provides a motive for the struggle, based on notions of justice and equality, and that these and related aspects of Acehnese political organisation provide the groundwork for a functional form of democracy in Aceh's post-peace settlement environment.

Comparative analysis of student perceptions : impact on satisfaction among international postgraduate students from China, India, Indonesia and Thailand

The paper undertakes a comparative analysis of the gap in student expectations and perceptions on key service quality factors influencing the choice of Australia as a study destination by international postgraduate students of Asian origin and their relationship with student satisfaction. Based on the theoretical framework of expectancy-disconfirmation paradigm, the paper examines the differences in student perceptions of the level of service quality related to the key factors of choice among four groups of students from China, India, Indonesia and Thailand using structural equation modelling, ANOV A and MANOV A. It concludes with strategic implications for universities.

The Politics of Indonesia

"Completely revised and updated, this new edition of The Politics of Indonesia is an engaging and accessible account of the main political issues and challenges confronting Indonesia as it moves forward into the twenty-first century. Since the forced resignation of Suharto as president in 1998, Indonesia has seemingly lurched from one crisis to the next: the country's first democratically elected president, Abdurrahman Wahid was ejected from government; the army has become politically active again; and militant Islamic politics and a chauvinistic nationalism have emerged as significant forces on the political landscape. Now, with the ascension of Megawati Sukarnoputri to the presidency, Damien Kingsbury looks in detail at her style of government and the fundamental issues and concerns facing Indonesia.
The biggest question facing this heterogeneous nation seems to be whether the Republic of Indonesia will be able to hold together or whether this unitary state was just a brief moment in post-colonial history." "This book is a valuable resource for students of Asian studies, politics, and related disciplines. Likewise, it remains essential reading for those wishing to travel or do business in Indonesia and for anyone living in the strategic shadow of this important, diverse, and fragile country."

Autonomy and disintegration in Indonesia

Fragmentation in Indonesia is by far the most critical issue now facing the state. This book analyses social unrest, autonomy and separatism in the wake of the Indonesian economic crisis, placing them in the context of state evolution, and looking at the competing aims of economic and political globalisation with local agendas.

The politics of Indonesia

The Politics of Indonesia is the only book to provide a complete analysis of Indonesian politics, from the declaration of independence until the election of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in late 2004. The book examines the underlying themes and tensions that affect Indonesian politics, from the dichotomy between the small wealthy elite and the poverty in which most of the population live to the system of corruption and patronage within which the political system and armed forces operate. Analyzing the role and impact of the military, separatism, the media, law, and the economy on Indonesia, this book provides a topical and thought-provoking guide to one of the regions most populous countries, and the largest predominantly Muslim country in the world.

Political Islam and human security

In the wake of the September 11 and subsequent terrorist attacks, the academic and media commentaries on 'Islam the religion' and 'Islam the basis for political ideology' has received an unprecedented high level of attention. This book deals with such questions as the nature of Islamism, the impact of the 'war on terror' on militancy, and more.

Islam and political violence : Muslim diaspora and radicalism in the West

How do we engage with the pressing challenges of xenophobia, radicalism and security in the age of the "war on terror"? The widely felt sense of insecurity in the West is shared by Muslims both within and outside Western societies. Growing Islamic militancy and resulting increased security measures by Western powers have contributed to a pervasive sense among Muslims of being under attack (both physically and culturally). Islam and Political Violence brings together the current debate on the uneasy and potentially mutually destructive relationship between the Muslim world and the West and argues we are on a dangerous trajectory, strengthening dichotomous notions of the divide between the West and the Muslim world.