Indonesia Today

The turn of the century and the crossroads of reformasi presents a timely juncture for examining Indonesia's political, economic, and social history--both to evaluate current events and to chart the country's future course. Providing an up-to-date overview, this volume explores events, processes, and themes in contemporary Indonesia--including the evolution of political institutions and democracy, economic development and political economy, religious and social movements, political ideology, and the role of the armed forces. By holding a mirror to historical events, the authors add a rich dimension to our understanding of Indonesia and its problems, free from the exigencies of the present and the prejudices of the past.

Indonesia has been remarkably successful in achieving its development objectives over the past 25 years. Although it is still a low-income country, its tradition of sound economic management has laid the foundations for continued progress in the decades ahead. As the Indonesian government formulates its second long-term development plan, issues of environmental quality and sustainability raise new concerns. This report examines environmental issues, assesses their implications for the achievement of development goals, and suggests an action plan that would help to ensure that those goals will be met. The analysis of current environmental conditions and trends and of the likely impact of future growth leads to three main conclusions: - Future growth will depend increasingly on Indonesia's stock of key natural resources and the sustainability of critical ecosystems. -The industrial sector will continue to expand in urban areas, where growing congestion and industrial pollution pose an immediate threat to health and human welfare. This will eventually lead to negative effects on the economy. -As a result of rapid growth, environment- related issues of equity among the population will become increasingly important.

While Muslims in Indonesia have begun to turn towards a strict adherence to Islam, the reality of the socio-religious environment is much more complicated than a simple shift towards fundamentalism. In this volume, contributors explore the multifaceted role of Islam in Indonesia from a variety of different perspectives, drawing on carefully compiled case studies. Topics covered include religious education, the increasing number of Muslim feminists in Indonesia, the role of Indonesia in the greater Muslim world, social activism and the middle class, and the interaction between Muslim radio and religious identity.