Leiden University Student Repository

Laarse, Maxime C. van der (2016)

Environmentalism in Indonesia Today

Master thesis | Asian Studies (60 EC) (MA)

Indonesia is named the third largest polluter, the second biggest contributor to waste in the oceans, the second highest emitter, and the second biggest deforester of the world. This is worrisome as Indonesia is home of one third of natural tropical forests, hence the nick-name ‘the lungs of the earth’, and has the second highest level of biodiversity. There has been a growing pressure on the environment caused by industrialization, urbanization and a growing population. Natural resources have been exploited for economic development, and policies and regulations have been neglected or did not exist. But the Indonesians are not blind for this, and it has been my personal observation that an environmental awareness is present in Indonesia. This thesis is a sociological study, analysing the social movement of environmentalism in Indonesia today, in the form of (inter)national organisations, communities and groups performing collective action – including political – in defence of the...Show moreIndonesia is named the third largest polluter, the second biggest contributor to waste in the oceans, the second highest emitter, and the second biggest deforester of the world. This is worrisome as Indonesia is home of one third of natural tropical forests, hence the nick-name ‘the lungs of the earth’, and has the second highest level of biodiversity. There has been a growing pressure on the environment caused by industrialization, urbanization and a growing population. Natural resources have been exploited for economic development, and policies and regulations have been neglected or did not exist. But the Indonesians are not blind for this, and it has been my personal observation that an environmental awareness is present in Indonesia. This thesis is a sociological study, analysing the social movement of environmentalism in Indonesia today, in the form of (inter)national organisations, communities and groups performing collective action – including political – in defence of the environment, and individual practices through sustainable lifestyles. The different forms are mainly identified by depending on case studies and (self-)conducted qualitative research. It takes into consideration the impact of environmentalism on Indonesia as a whole, on economics, society, politics, and the environment.Show less

Author

Laarse, Maxime C. van der

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Southeast Asia

Supervisors

Henley, David E.F.

ECTS Credits

15

Language

en