This thesis studies a series concerning the portrayal of Indonesian cuisine: the photo series ‘Indonesian Culinary Photography’ by The Goethe-Institut in Jakarta. It looks at food identity, the...Show moreThis thesis studies a series concerning the portrayal of Indonesian cuisine: the photo series ‘Indonesian Culinary Photography’ by The Goethe-Institut in Jakarta. It looks at food identity, the visualization of taste and smell by word and image, and food identity's place within Indonesia's national narrative.Show less
This thesis attempts to write about the history of the Federal Consultative Assembly, also known in Dutch as the 'Bijeenkomst Federaal Overleg' (BFO), an assembly of Indonesians striving for a...Show moreThis thesis attempts to write about the history of the Federal Consultative Assembly, also known in Dutch as the 'Bijeenkomst Federaal Overleg' (BFO), an assembly of Indonesians striving for a federal Indonesia. Their agency became important to Dutch and Republican powerbrokers during the Dutch-Indonesian war of 1945-1949. Historians, like George McT. Kahin, argue that these federal Indonesians were either Dutch puppets or political 'opportunists' and part of a Dutch divide and rule strategy to regain their former colony. The author of the thesis refutes such arguments. By analysing the BFO's agency during the conflict, it becomes apparent that they were not merely puppets or opportunists, but that their decisions to either coöperate with the Dutch or the Republic were largely based on the way the war developed. This meaning the violence used during the conflict, the exercission of control of powerbrokers over Indonesian territory and the expectations this created about who would remain in power in Indonesia in the future. It will be emphasized that their cooperation with either the Dutch or the Republic was mostly involuntary and depended on which powerbroker could keep them save from violent harm and could safeguard a future for them in the future indepedent Indonesian state.Show less
History education has often been a topic of discussion and debate in the Netherlands. Many have argued that the dark pages of Dutch history are not sufficiently brought to attention in history...Show moreHistory education has often been a topic of discussion and debate in the Netherlands. Many have argued that the dark pages of Dutch history are not sufficiently brought to attention in history education and learning materials. This thesis aims to find out how Dutch colonial history is represented in Dutch secondary education learning materials. Through an analysis of several high school history textbooks, it became clear that there are quite a few issues when it comes to the representations of Dutch colonial history. In short, the books pay too little attention to the topic, contain Eurocentric and one-sided narratives, biased language use and they rarely engage in current public debates around colonial history. A questionnaire was also conducted among high school students to discover how extensive their knowledge on Dutch colonialism is, and to get an insight on their opinions and perspectives regarding that history. The questionairre revealed that there are significant gaps in the students’ knowledge about Dutch colonialism. While the newer editions of the textbooks showed some improvements, the learning materials still have a long way to go.Show less
This paper examines why the Indonesian government has a vested interest in protecting the current practice of Balinese Hinduism. It argues that the Indonesian government wants to protect Balinese...Show moreThis paper examines why the Indonesian government has a vested interest in protecting the current practice of Balinese Hinduism. It argues that the Indonesian government wants to protect Balinese Hinduism from external influences, because the tourism industry in Bali is extremely profitable and valuable to the Indonesian economy. Since it has been observed that tourists mainly come to Bali for its religious-cultural artifacts and heritage, it can be contested that invoking the monotheistic element of Pancasila justifies Balinese Hinduism’s continued existence as a unique religion and culture that should be preserved and protected from external influences such as radical Islam and Indian Hinduism. Therefore, this thesis has used secondary data analysis and qualitative research to prove that the tourist industry in Bali is very profitable and essential for the Indonesian economy and that different political strategies were employed to ensure that the Indonesian government can benefit from the preservation of Bali’s monotheistic hinduism.Show less
The increase of ASEAN tasks and functions has risen to a point where human rights have become enshrined in a regional commission. How can this be explained considering the history of straight up...Show moreThe increase of ASEAN tasks and functions has risen to a point where human rights have become enshrined in a regional commission. How can this be explained considering the history of straight up human right abstinence and abuses throughout the history of the member states. I hypothesise in this thesis that the recent democratisation of regimes of ASEAN member states caused supranationalism in the form of the creation of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission for Human Rights. In order to consolidate the new democracy, regimes may pursuit locking them in into supranational institutions. This will prevent the democratic regime from falling back to authoritarian rule, since it’s citizens rights are protected by a higher authority, out of reach of the direct power of the regime. Results suggest this theory may hold validity in the ASEAN region where recently democratised states are more likely to support supranational institutions than the long term democracies or authoritarian states. This means change in direction and norms in ASEAN is the result of democratisation of member states that are using ASEAN as vehicle for domestic political goals.Show less
This article examines the position of the Dutch planters in Indonesia after the transfer of sovereignty in 1949 until this nationalisation of the Dutch businesses in 1958. It studies the political...Show moreThis article examines the position of the Dutch planters in Indonesia after the transfer of sovereignty in 1949 until this nationalisation of the Dutch businesses in 1958. It studies the political and economic position of these planters and the changes it had to go through after the transfer of sovereignty, in the light of the ongoing New Guinea conflict between the Netherlands and Indonesia. The study argues that the Dutch planters had trouble with adjusting to the new political and social situation, which was hardened by the political relationship between the former colonizer and colonized.Show less
This thesis researches to what extent Indonesian online based media create a discourse that emphasize the Chinese-Christian identity of Basuki Thjahaja Purnama (Ahok) as a minority during the...Show moreThis thesis researches to what extent Indonesian online based media create a discourse that emphasize the Chinese-Christian identity of Basuki Thjahaja Purnama (Ahok) as a minority during the Jakarta gubernatorial elections of 2017. The thesis employs a qualitative discourse analysis method that researches online articles of news portals Tempo.co, Kompas, and The Jakarta Post. To understand discourse on the Chinese-Christian identity in its proper context, first is researched what the Chinese identity means within Indonesian society by taking a historical perspective. Secondly, this thesis explores the role of religion in modern Indonesian politics as well as the political and religious context of the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial elections. News articles linked to Ahok’s blasphemy case, demonstrations against Ahok, and the elections are selected for analysis. In total 42 articles have been analyzed. The results show that there is difference in writing styles between English and Indonesian language based online news portals. Whereas the Indonesian language based news portals remain neutral to Ahok’s identity as Christian-Chinese by not referring to it, the English language based The Jakarta Post creates a narrative in which Ahok is emphasized as part of a Christian-Chinese minority.Show less
Bachelor thesis | South and Southeast Asian Studies (BA)
closed access
High public support for anticorruption campaigns exists already for a long time in Indonesia. However, since the establishment of a celebrated anticorruption body during democratic times, all three...Show moreHigh public support for anticorruption campaigns exists already for a long time in Indonesia. However, since the establishment of a celebrated anticorruption body during democratic times, all three government branches have shown members to make attempts to weaken the anticorruption body after they became suspects in corruption cases. Elitists in the Indonesian government openly fight the morally supported KPK anticorruption body.Show less
This dissertation explores the interaction between Australian foreign policy and the Indonesian Revolution. Central is the point that Australian foreign policy was shaped by the Indonesian...Show moreThis dissertation explores the interaction between Australian foreign policy and the Indonesian Revolution. Central is the point that Australian foreign policy was shaped by the Indonesian Revolution to an extent that few historians have recognized so far. After the Second World War, the Indonesian Revolution both posed a threat and was an opportunity for Australia. They wanted to create a stable region and were aware of how important it was to have Indonesia as a defensive ally, especially after the quick Allied defeat at the hand of the Japanese. They also saw a chance to build up a trade relationship with a country that was both rich in natural resources and had a lot of potential customers of Australian products. Before the Revolution, Australia had mainly counted on the British and their stronghold Singapore for their defence, and had been unable to conduct trade with the Netherlands East Indies on large scale, due to the protectionist policies of the Netherlands. Australia became aware that its own interests conflicted with those of the United Kingdom and the colonial system. It was because of this old colonial order that the Netherlands East Indies and Australia did not maintain extensive contacts with each other politically and diplomatically speaking, but were both still very much focussed on the countries that had colonized them. Even though those were on the other side of the globe, and Australia and the Netherlands East Indies were neighbours. With the Indonesian Revolution this could all change, and Australia saw the opportunity. However, the United Kingdom had dominated Australian foreign policy for so long, that Australia was still unsure what its own opinions on the situation were. But these developed pretty quick, after Australia was dragged into the conflict. The result of the Borneo Campaign was that they had to assume responsibility over the eastern part of Indonesia after the war, until the Dutch would return. A polarizing, nationwide dockworkers’ strike in the meantime made sure that everyone in Australia itself knew what was going on in the Netherlands East Indies. While they initially tried to work together with the Dutch to find a solution for the conflict, the Australians soon became fed up with their stubbornness and the relation soured after a couple of diplomatic incidents. The British consequently denied the Australians a place at the negotiating table, and though they accepted their position at first, their frustration grew with each failed British attempt to mediate an agreement between the revolutionary leaders of the Republic of Indonesia and the Dutch. When the Dutch launched a military attack on the Republican areas in July 1947, the Australians decided that it was time to act. Breaking through all traditional boundaries that divided countries in political allegiances at the time, it referred the Indonesian dispute to the Security Council, directly defying requests from their closest ally the United Kingdom not to do precisely that, in support of a non-white, non-Western, and non-Christian country that did not even exist yet. This was both a symbol of an emerging Southeast Asian – or Pacific – region, of maturing Australian independence, and of the unavoidable demise of the colonial system, but it was also a momentous development in the Indonesian struggle for independence. The Renville Agreement that was signed after the ensuing negotiations between the Netherlands, the Republic, Belgium, the United States, and Australia was itself not such a success for the Indonesians, but it would have far-reaching effects. For the first time since the outbreak of hostilities after the Second World War, the international community had committed itself to a peaceful ending to the Indonesian Revolution. And this support would turn out to be crucial in the subsequent episodes that would ultimately lead to Indonesian independence. This thesis shows that studying the Indonesian Revolution and its impact through emerging power structures, instead of along the traditional lines, can provide surprising new insights, both in the significant role Australia has played in the Indonesian Revolution, and how that revolution would help bring about a more independent Australian foreign policy.Show less
Abstract In the recent years Japanese pop culture has become an essential medium in the nation-branding strategy “Cool Japan”. The government has invested in Cool Japan especially in the Asian...Show moreAbstract In the recent years Japanese pop culture has become an essential medium in the nation-branding strategy “Cool Japan”. The government has invested in Cool Japan especially in the Asian region as there are still lingering tensions over Japan’s imperial past. This thesis explores how popular culture is used in nation-branding strategy in two countries that were occupied by Japan during the Second World War, Indonesia and South-Korea. How Japan implements nation-branding in South Korea and Indonesia and whether Japan uses a specific approach with consideration to historical memory and if a pattern can be distinguished is still under-examined, and therefore wishes to contribute to this discussion. This research uses policy analysis to assess the Cool Japan policy approach in South Korea and Indonesia. As Cool Japan is largely reliant on soft power, this study also tests Joseph S. Nye’s theory of soft power as a general theory applicable to Japan. My findings demonstrate that the ideal conditions for nation-branding strategy to work, depend on how the countries in question (South Korea and Indonesia) view the country that implements nation-branding(Japan). Therefore,Cool Japan nation-branding can only succeed in countries that have a relatively positive image of Japan.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
De thesis is een zoektocht naar de manier waarop hiphop vanaf eind jaren ’80 begin jaren ’90 in het overwegend islamitische Indonesië vorm heeft gekregen en welke rol de populaire cultuur speelt in...Show moreDe thesis is een zoektocht naar de manier waarop hiphop vanaf eind jaren ’80 begin jaren ’90 in het overwegend islamitische Indonesië vorm heeft gekregen en welke rol de populaire cultuur speelt in het dagelijkse leven van jongeren in steden. Hierbij ligt vooral de nadruk op de achtergrond, motieven en muzikale producties van de artiesten (voornamelijk rappers) die hiphop muziek en cultuur maken en uitdragen, en niet in het bijzonder op de cultuurindustrie en de jonge consumenten van zowel binnen- als buitenlandse hiphop en bijbehorende stijlen. Bijzondere aandacht gaat in de case studies naar 'islamitische hiphop' in Jakarta.Show less
Chinezen in Indonesië worden vandaag de dag bekeken als een niet-inheemse minderheid. Deze scriptie gaat over de ontwikkeling van Chinese identiteit in Indonesië vanuit emancipatie. Dat wil zeggen,...Show moreChinezen in Indonesië worden vandaag de dag bekeken als een niet-inheemse minderheid. Deze scriptie gaat over de ontwikkeling van Chinese identiteit in Indonesië vanuit emancipatie. Dat wil zeggen, hun integratie in de Indonesische en Nederlands-Indische maatschappij. Er wordt gekeken naar de keuzes die zij maakten zoals de manier waarop zij zich kleedden, woonden, spraken en uiteindelijk welke nationaliteit zij aannamen. Her wordt vanuit autobiografieën en ander biografisch materiaal gewerkt.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
This research focuses on the analysis of the forms of human-environment relationship that characterize different communities in the coastal area of North Jakarta, and on how these might be...Show moreThis research focuses on the analysis of the forms of human-environment relationship that characterize different communities in the coastal area of North Jakarta, and on how these might be connected to inequalities between local communities. In North Jakarta, relationship with the environment is strongly affected by the presence of environmental issues, namely sea level rise, land subsidence, and chronic floods, which force local communities to come to terms with the surrounding waters on a daily basis, developing different experiences and perceptions of the environment. Moreover, such different experiences and perceptions are connected to political struggles related to the protection of the Jakarta bay ecosystem, the livelihood of fishing communities, and mitigation projects such as the construction of a giant seawall and of reclaimed islands off the coast of the city. The research population includes residents of four different neighbouring districts located along the coast of the Indonesian capital. Despite being so close to each other, these are very different areas, home to fish markets, fishing settlements and industries, luxurious residential areas, shining malls and exclusive leisure spaces. These districts are inhabited by very different communities in terms of social class, income, lifestyle, occupation, and ethnicity. Therefore, they are an ideal field to observe diverse forms of human-environment relationship, and to test to what extent could these be related to the above-mentioned inequalities and to different ontologies of the environment.Show less
China is a rising power, something that has become increasingly evident in the South China Sea dispute in the past decade. In 2009, China for the first time officially and unilaterally declared...Show moreChina is a rising power, something that has become increasingly evident in the South China Sea dispute in the past decade. In 2009, China for the first time officially and unilaterally declared sovereignty over a large part of the South China Sea (SCS). At that time, both the biggest and smallest states of the region, Indonesia and Singapore, did not belong to the so-called ‘claimant states’. However, the increased tension in the SCS as a consequence of China’s maritime expansion leads to both states being affected by this dispute. Therefore, this thesis aims to examine the question ‘’How and why have Indonesia and Singapore responded to the increased Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea, despite both initially not being claimant states?’’ Outlining the developments in the South China Sea and looking at the dimensions of economic relations and domestic political factors, this thesis will try to explain the responses of Indonesia and Singapore to an increasingly assertive China in the South China Sea in the past decade. What could be concluded is that while Singapore and, to a greater extent, Indonesia are economically increasingly dependent on China, which could lead to turning a blind eye to China’s behaviour in the SCS, the two Southeast Asian states have instead increasingly criticized China in the past decade in order to go against its growing assertive behaviour. This response comes out of dynamics in domestic politics that does not allow the two states to behave submissively.Show less
This thesis explores how Jakarta's Merdeka Square acts as a contested public space where both state institutions and society groups have contended with the idea of a pluralistic Indonesian society...Show moreThis thesis explores how Jakarta's Merdeka Square acts as a contested public space where both state institutions and society groups have contended with the idea of a pluralistic Indonesian society during the months preceding the 2017 Jakarta Gubernatorial Election.Show less
