Understanding Indonesia: Indonesia and its relationship with its neighbours as a regional power

How can we understand Indonesia and its relationship with its neighbours as a regional power? International relations provides a theoretical framework that can be applied to examine and evaluate Indonesia in 2024 and beyond. Of course, this includes some mapping of the past. Case studies that include Australia, and in particular northern Australia, Timor-Leste, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are examined. There will also be examination of Indonesia’s own domestics issues in its eastern provinces. These case studies provide a rounded and wholistic view of Indonesia’s standing in the region. To cover these themes, scholars from various disciplines will meet at the third Understanding Indonesia Conference in Darwin. Several perspectives will be presented and debated, covering topics on politics, history, security, religion, and anthropology, as well as north Australian and Aboriginal studies.

As Indonesia prepares for Prabowo Subianto as president-elect to formally begin on 20 October 2024, Indonesia is a very different country compared to the period when his former father-in-law, Suharto, ruled (1966-1998). For example, Indonesia is a democracy, Timor-Leste is an independent democracy, and regional cooperation is more important than ever as security imperatives and economic growth are the key drivers of Indonesian domestic and foreign policy, with many free trade agreements and multilateral defence cooperation in the region. Consequently, ASEAN, Australia, China, and others, are factors that Indonesia must consider. The conference ‘Indonesia and its relationship with its neighbours as a regional power’ provides an inter-disciplinary forum allowing contributors, including academics, researchers, teachers, and students of various disciplines, to identify, analyse, and debate Indonesia’s internal dimensions, as well as its bilateral and multilateral relationships in the region. High school teachers and students, as well as members of the public, who may not normally be involved in academic conferences are invited to attend, where it is hoped people will better understand the challenges of Indonesia, as the largest and most important country in Southeast Asia. Participation is possible physically face to face or online.

The conference is free of charge

This is the second Understanding Indonesia conference at CDU

Date and time: Thursday 5 December 2024, 8am to 4:45pm

Venue: Building Blue 1.1.01 Lecture Theatre, CDU Casuarina Campus, Ellengowan Drive Darwin NT 0909- see CDU map.

Parking: On Friday paid and free parking options are indicated on the map above.

Public transport to CDU: Bus 4 – see timetable Casuarina to Darwin City and Darwin City to Casuarina.

Conference Convener

Nathan Franklin
Charles Darwin University
T: +61 8 8946 7171
E: nathan.franklin@cdu.edu.au