Indonesia, the world’s third largest democracy and the most populous Muslim-majority society, presents an interesting contrast of great achievements and challenges that still need to be won. On one hand, Indonesia has consolidated in the last two decades as one of the most successful democracies in Asia, and sustained economic development has improved the lives of many. On the other hand, the country is still struggling to address deep-seated inequalities, and intolerance towards religious minorities appears to be on the rise. In this respect, Indonesia resembles many other middle-income countries, and this course will therefore study it from a comparative perspective. Topics will include nationalism, the role of Islam in politics, economic development, foreign relations, local autonomy and decentralization, political elites and clientelism, activism and human rights. For each, the Indonesian case will be discussed in the context of broader debates in comparative politics, development studies and international relations.

Continuous Assessment: 100%