Scholarly Works - Political Science

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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14576/35

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Open Access
A comparative analysis of Pakistan relations with Afghan Taliban and with the previous Afghan government (2014 - 2021) : security dilemma perspectives
(2024-08-19) Zarawar, Amanullah; Naveedullah Alokozay; Muhammad Numan
This study analyzed the intricate relationships between Pakistan and the Taliban (the Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan); examining its historical background and Islamabad’s strategic dimensions and security concerns. Pakistan's recognition of the Taliban during their first regime in 1996 was a culmination of close ties forged during the Soviet-Afghan conflict that had led to the establishment of a foundation of mutual trust between Pakistan and the Taliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). The disputed Durand Line issue and counterbalancing India have shaped Pakistan's perspective, making the Taliban a valued ally compared to the previous Afghan government (2014 - 21) in Afghanistan. Notably, the study indicates a shift in dynamics with the Taliban's second (2.0) regime, revealing a complex relationship where some members show less commitment to Islamabad. This study used a comparative qualitative analysis to collect data from relevant literature, including interviews. The analysis employed the lenses of Security Dilemma and Neorealism theories to unravel Pakistan's motivations. Despite expectations, the recent return of the Taliban to power has not ensured an ideal scenario for Pakistan, as its security situation has worsened than before. In essence, Pakistan's dual approach toward a stable government and support for the Taliban reflected a nuanced strategy wherein Pakistan sought a stable Afghanistan while simultaneously supporting the Taliban's extremist views to safeguard its strategic interests and influence regional dynamics. The study contributed to a deeper understanding of this intricate interplay between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban in the context of historical legacies, strategic calculations, and regional power dynamics.
Embargo
Aligning policies, maintaining power: State-society conflicts and state responses to food crises in Indonesia and Nigeria
(Wiley-Blackwell, 2023-09-27) Sirojuddin Arif
Despite the importance of food for both economic and political reasons, why do governments respond differently to food crises? To answer this question, this article assesses the politics of state responses to food crises in Indonesia and Nigeria in the 1960s and 1970s. Using the state-in-society approach to politics, this research finds that variation in state–society conflicts explains the differences in Indonesia's and Nigeria's responses to the food crises. Conflicts between the state and urban workers led Nigeria to align its food policies with the need to contain urban workers' grievances, while in Indonesia conflicts between peasants and the state led the government to align its food policies with rural development to raise food production and eliminate the source of rural threats. State responses to food crises are therefore context-dependent policies, deeply influenced by the salient form of state–society conflicts.
Open Access
Assessing the China threat : perspectives of university students in Jakarta on the South China Sea dispute and the belt and road Initiative
(Springer International Publishing, 2024-04-13) Moch Faisal Karim; Annisa Milatia Rahman; Suwarno
Discussions on the ‘China threat theory’ in Southeast Asia have been reignited by China’s assertive manoeuvres in the South China Sea and its expansive Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). While substantial research has investigated the views of political elites and policymakers, the perceptions of educated urban youth, particularly regarding China’s geopolitical and economic strategies, remain underexplored. This study centers on Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s most populous nation, to gauge the sentiments of urban youth towards China’s rising influence. Through a survey of 403 university students in Jakarta and its vicinity, we reveal an intensifying negative stance among these young, educated Indonesians corresponding with China’s increased assertiveness and economic pursuits under the BRI. This article underscores the nuanced perspectives of Indonesia’s future leaders, offering a targeted analysis of the attitudes of educated youth in an urban setting towards evolving Sino-Indonesian relations.
Open Access
Bureaucratic politics and informality in foreign policy-making : the case of Indonesia-China relations
(Routledge, 2023-07-19) Moch Faisal Karim; Andini Gobel; I Gede Wahyu Wicaksana
How do governments respond to bilateral relationships characterised by growing economic cooperation on one side and concerns about national security on the other? The existing literature has mainly employed systemic, domestic and individual levels of analysis, but has failed to scrutinise the important bureaucratic aspect of policy-making. By focusing on Indonesia’s policy towards the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) assertiveness in the South China Sea (SCS), we examine the role of the ‘curator’, an official tasked with ensuring successful policy outcomes by often bypassing formal institutions in the policy-making process. Arguably, the main reason Indonesia maintained a relatively coherent policy can be attributed to the role of the curator, who worked within an informal space to coordinate maritime policies enacted by a bureaucratic apparatus that was deemed to be hindering the president’s approach. By incorporating informality as a mode of coordination, this analysis of Indonesia-China relations advances the bureaucratic politics model in FPA.
Open Access
Comparing moralities in the abrahamic and indic religions using cognitive science : kindness, peace, and love versus justice, violence, and hate
(MDPI, 2023-02-02) Aria Nakissa
Recent cognitive science research indicates that humans possess numerous biologically rooted religious and moral intuitions. The present article draws on this research to compare forms of religious morality in the Abrahamic traditions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) and the Indic traditions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism). Special attention is given to moral teachings on kindness, peace, and love, as well as related teachings on justice, violence, and hate. The article considers how moral intuitions shape Abrahamic/Indic moral teachings, which, in turn, impact: (1) Abrahamic/Indic doctrines concerning politics, law, and war; (2) Abrahamic/Indic doctrines concerning individual ethics, and moral behavior proper to monastics and laypersons; and (3) Abrahamic/Indic doctrines concerning theological matters, such as the nature of the universe, souls, and deities.
Embargo
Does decentralisation promote learning? local political settlements and education
(Routledge, 2024-04-25) Sirojuddin Arif; Risa Wardatun Nihayah; Syaikhu Usman; Niken Rarasati
This article examines the effect of local political settlements on education policies in a decentralised political system. Under what conditions does decentralisation promote learning-enhancing policies? Despite the numerous works on decentralisation and education, little is known about how local politics influences student learning. We develop a novel approach to the politics of education policies by looking at the effect of local political settlements on education policymaking. Using a heuristic case study method comparing three districts in Indonesia, we found that constraints on the discretionary power of the district head over employment decisions in the bureaucracy matter for the development of learning-enhancing policies. Such a constraint can pave the way for the development of the bureaucratic capacity required for local governments to pursue quality-promoting reforms. In the absence of such a constraint, the extent to which district governments will implement learning-enhancing policies depends on district heads’ commitment to learning.
Open Access
Durand line; a contending security dilemma between Pakistan and Afghanistan
(Forman Christian College, 2024-12-22) Zada, Sher
The Durand Line is a shared border between Pakistan and Afghanistan and is considered one of the major conflict zones in the 21st century. Post 9/11, developments in the region attracted the world’s attention. This article uses a realist model and empirical approach to examine literature review evidence about the main issues surrounding the border disputes between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Three thematic findings from the review have been discussed: (i) The lack of consensus between Afghanistan and Pakistan, (ii) Inadequate border management and criminal activities on the border, and (iii) Vulnerabilities faced by the ethnic groups living across the border. The study concludes that the Durand Line threatens regional and international peace and security. It is recommended that both countries should take decisive steps toward sustainable peace by holding negotiations and working together to eliminate the border issues and resolve issues faced by ethnic groups across the border.
Open Access
How regional organisation survives: ASEAN, hedging and international society
(Informa UK, 2023-05-23) I Gede Wahyu Wicaksana; Moch Faisal Karim
How can a regional organisation survive in great power contests? This article uses the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as the empirical case to address the puzzle. The inquiry is important for three reasons. First, the recent developments in world politics have shown the increasingly penetrative actions of the major powers into regional multilateral organisations. Second, looking at ASEAN, the internal cohesion and solidity of the Association's member countries over the last decade have been challenged by the competition between China and the U.S. Third, the existing literature on ASEAN regional strategic affairs has been focused on hedging as the weaker states’ agential choice to manage their relations with the stronger states. However, there is insufficient explanation of what makes sustainable Southeast Asian states’ hedging possible. Working within the English School theory of IR, this article offers two factors explaining ASEAN’s survival as a regional international society: elite diplomatic culture and great power management. The argument is that ASEAN has developed its ideas and values of intra-regional diplomatic relations and built institutions that can mitigate the damaging consequences of the U.S.–China order contestation. Furthermore, this study promotes an English School perspective on hedging based on the ASEAN case. Arguing against the realist theory of hedging, which focuses on the domestic function of foreign policy strategy, the narrow conception of national interests and the relative distribution of power at the systemic level, hedging works because of viable institutions of the regional international society oriented toward constructing and preserving order.
Embargo
How the state frames its engagement in renminbi internationalization: The case of Indonesia
(Wiley-Blackwell, 2024-01-14) Mellynia; Moch Faisal Karim
The rise of China has accelerated Renminbi (RMB) internationalization. While there seems to be global support for RMB internationalization, there is a gap in understanding how developing nations, facing potential domestic skepticism, rationalize and articulate their support. This article discusses narratives that states use to legitimize their support for RMB internationalization. Using the case of Indonesia, this article examines the country's policy responses to China's RMB internationalization strategy. It uncovers that Indonesia frames its engagement with RMB internationalization not merely as an endorsement of China's global ambitions but as a strategic move to hedge against US dollar vulnerability and to foster broader Asian regional integration, particularly in terms of currency cooperation. This article enriches the existing literature, providing a nuanced perspective on how states navigate the complexities of international economic diplomacy, crafting narratives that align with their strategic interests and policy objectives in the evolving landscape of global currency politics.
Open Access
In the making of salafi-based Islamic schools in Indonesia
(Al-Jami'ah Research Centre, 2022) Jamhari Makruf; Saifudin Asrori
The Salafi manhaj (method) is emerging as a new form of Islamic education, in addition to the existing pesantren (Islamic boarding school) and madrasah (Islamic school) education systems, both of which have long histories in Indonesia. The presence of these schools reflects Salafi efforts to achieve “purification of Islam” though adherence to the idea of returning to the ‘authentic Islam’ as practiced by the early generations of Muslim. Salafi manhaj schools are also part of a transnational Islamic movement that has purposely spread ideas and movements from the Middle East around the world, including to Indonesia. Over time, these schools have developed into two models: Integrated Islamic Schools and Salafi manhaj pesantrens. Both aim to instill Islamic tenets that comply with the Salafi manhaj and disseminate and incorporate such tenets in the religious practices of Indonesian Muslims, although the Integrated Islamic Schools are more inclusive and teach aspects of the conventional state curriculum too. This article challenges previous findings that the influence of Salafi education has faded in Indonesia as efforts to combat Islamist terrorism globally have increased, arguing that Salafi educators have been strategic and effective in promoting their approach to religious education.
Open Access
Indonesian image of the ottoman caliphate and the new republic of Türkiye 1918–1925
(Center for the Study of Islam and Society (PPIM) Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN) Jakarta, 2024) Mehmet Özay; Nia Deliana
This article is a preliminary study on Indonesians’ perceptions on the decline of the Ottoman Caliphate, and the rise of the Turkish Republic based on the highlights in vernacular press printed in Java and Sumatra. By scrutinizing textual discourse on the Caliphate and the Turkish Republic, this paper examined Indonesians’ views delivered in newspapers, such as Poestaka Hizboel Wathan, Medan Prijaji, Soeara Islam, Zaman Baroe, and Bintang Islam. These newspapers informed on the consecutive political changes, including a total ‘weltanschauung’ during the ruling era of Mustafa Kemal, which drew the significant attention of Indonesian readers, contradictory responses on the complexities of the developments among the intellectuals. Through qualitative methodology and content analysis, this paper gives additional contribution to the study of historical relations between Indonesia and Türkiye.
Embargo
Institutional layering in climate policy: Insights from REDD+ governance in Indonesia
(Elsevier, 2023-07-22) Silvio Hermawan; Moch Faisal Karim; Lena Rethel
The transformation of forest governance in low- and middle-income countries has been accelerated due to increased international pressure for climate change adaptation. These efforts, however, have been severely limited by inefficiencies within the forest-related state institutions tasked with addressing governance challenges, such as coordination, mediating political interests, and strategy-setting. This article contributes to the discussion of forest governance by providing an alternative view of such constraints. Using the case of the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) program in Indonesia, we examine the institutionalization process of the climate agenda in the forestry sector and how it influences forest governance transformation. We argue that the climate agenda has been institutionalized in Indonesia’s forest institutions by embedding climate objectives within the existing institution, a process known as layering. However, such assimilation of climate governance within the existing bureaucracy has arguably limited its transformative capacity. Despite the downsides, institutional layering has proved to be more resilient for long- term climate investment in a non-climate consensus country like Indonesia. We highlight the importance of examining the domestic political setting for explaining the institutionalization process of climate objectives. The interplay between politics and institutions provides a critical lens for understanding limitations to the transformative capacities of forest governance over time.
Open Access
Sensory preference manipulation in unique cuisine : viral trends on social media
(2024-12-22) Nurul Aini Suid; Muhammad Ridha; Rahmad Ade Akbar
This research explores the phenomenon of sensory preference manipulation in unique cuisines on social media, particularly TikTok. The main focus of this research is to understand how drastic changes in food form, visual manipulation and misleading marketing strategies can influence consumers perceptions and responses to unusual consumers perceptions and responses to unusual foods. Qualitative methods were used to analyze viral content, user comments and virality patterns through the TikTok platform. Findings show that changes to the shape, color, taste and ingredients of food can significantly attract consumer’s attention and create strong visual sensations. Visual manipulation and misleading marketing strategies amplify the virality effect by creating a discrepancy between the expectation and reality of the product, which triggers emotional responses and high engagement on social media. This research provides new insights into how social media algorithms accelerate the spread of viral content and its impact on culinary trends. The implications of these findings suggest that sensory manipulation can be an effective tool in digital marketing strategies, with great potential to influence consumer perceptions and increase the popularity of unconventional foods.
Open Access
Social media and the reshaping of religious identity in youth
(International Society for Academic Research in Science, Technology, and Education (ARSTE), 2024-05-28) Shamim, Saemah
In recent years, much research has shed light on social structure and interpretation concerns that have highlighted problems with religious tolerance and intolerance. Social constructions have changed as a result of Internet-based connections and social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter Instagram, etc. which have reopened old discussions about paradigms of peace from a fresh viewpoint. To understand the correlations between social media usage and attitudes impacting religious tolerance and intolerance, this study evaluated previously published data regarding attitudes and stereotype modifications via research on the Muslim-Hindu interaction in Nepal. An online and offline survey is used to assess the research hypothesis about online platform usage frequency, relationship-bridging attitudes and actions, religion, life happiness, and social trust among youngsters. The findings revealed a statistically significant positive association between Facebook and YouTube usage frequency and views toward religious intolerance especially after being influenced by Indian Islamaphobic media as it is the neighboring country of Nepal, with an enhanced relationship bridging both online and off. Additionally, the paper aims to show the correlations between heavy social media users and individuals who cited social media as the cause of their eventual offline intolerance. The findings of this study are beneficial to individuals trying to comprehend and take part in peacemaking in a society that is continuously changing, always linked, and mediated by the Internet.
Open Access
Stereotyping the turks : images from dutch colonial newspapers in Indonesia
(Türk Tarih Kurumu, 2024-07-30) Nia Deliana
There are abundant studies on Turkish Historical influences in the world, from Europe to Asia, India, and Southeast Asia. But there are insufficient scholarly narratives consulted from the existing available 19 th century colonial newspaper sources that dealt with the colonial works on reshaping the character of the Rum-Turk and the Ottoman that had in previous centuries, preserved in extensively pleasant and inspirational images among the societies in the Netherlands East Indies. Before the colonial period, numerous scholars agree that the influence of the Ottoman occurred in early days where the Portuguese set foot in Malacca Straits. The Ottoman relation with Aceh and the continuous correspondences contributed to the view of societies in the Netherlands East Indies to present fond impression on the Ottoman that the victory and naval force of the Ottoman were penned down in numerous local letters and manuscripts across the Islands and Peninsula as an inspirational depiction. As mass printing had become the most effective measure in producing new type of knowledge, especially on describing images of racial class and defaming the colonial economic and political non-native rivals, the colonial propaganda and descriptions were printed repetitively over the centuries. As the result, the constructed images of the Turks were politicized for the colonial gain. This paper examines the role of Dutch colonial newspapers in shaping images of the Turks, the Ottoman, and the caliphate among its colonized societies. It investigates dissemination of colonial pseudo-scientific knowledge and the transformation of views on the Turks resulted from it. Through utilizing Dutch colonial newspapers between 1840s-1945, this paper provides additional narratives on colonial knowledge production discourse on Indonesian trans-boundary relations under colonial era.
Open Access
The durability of religion in the secular age : religionization in Indonesia
(Faculty of Ushuluddin and Dakwah, Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Mas Said Surakarta, 2023-06-30) Alamsyah M Djafar; Unaesah Rahmah
The global intensification of religionization has raised renewed questions about the validity of the secularization thesis. Research supporting the secularization thesis suggested an alternative perspective, emphasizing the correlation between security levels and religious adherence. It posits that as security levels rise, the reliance on religion diminishes, whereas in contexts of low security, the need for religion intensifies. An examination of the trajectories and dynamics of secularization in Indonesia reveals that among the Muslim middle class, secularization has alleviated feelings of insecurity arising from socio-political crises. Such observations suggest that historical trajectories of religionization are intricately linked to these socio-political dynamics. Furthermore, initiatives by the government and political organizations that endorse religion as a preferred choice expedite this transition towards religionization. This study uses process tracing by dividing the historical process into three periods and comparing them analytically to explain the causal mechanism among modernization, secularization, and religionization.
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The intersection between Islamic populism and radicalism in Indonesia : the rise and fall of aksi bela Islam movement
(Routledge, 2024-01-08) A’an Suryana
This article discusses the role of radical Islamist groups – the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), and the Salafis - in spearheading the populist Islamist 212 Movement. It examines why they were such effective forces in leading the movement and why their role diminished over time, which contributed to the decline of the movement. Drawing on political process theory and the literature on populism, this article argues that the movement faltered because they could no longer play an instrumental role due to the unsupportive structure of political opportunities, disorganized social movement, less relevant framing, and greater social and political pressure to the social movement.
Open Access
The mandala, agency and norms in Indonesia-India global affairs
(E-International Relations, 2024-07-16) Nia Deliana
The notion of the Mandala can be traced back to a Tamil inscription that describes a settlement and commercial system of a South Indian communal compound before the Chola’s raid in 1025 CE. The records note a commercial system in Lobu Tua of Southern Aceh dated in 1088 CE (McKinnon 1994). Mercantile exchanges between the two regions continued despite political turbulence resulting from domestic or global affairs. Many scholars believe that the Mandala of the Indian Ocean was the most substantial factor that engineered this international relationship. Mandala is a Sanskrit word that means a circle of space and time that connect through a circulation of being, according to Bose (2006). Through the shared Muslim cultures across the Indian Ocean (Pradines and Topan, 2023), The Mandala’s international norms ruled not only the entanglement on networks, ports, commodities, and agencies that characterized the systemic order of sovereignty, rivalry, and alliances with the great powers but also the fluid political ecosystem of the Ocean. It guided mobility, interactions, and a sense of belonging to the native-becoming South Indians, Arabs, Chinese, Jews, and Europeans.
Open Access
The place of the indian ocean in the strategic rivalry between India and China
(Everant Publisher, 2024-09-20) Mirzayi, Qudrat
In recent decades, the rotation of international power has been slightly directed towards Asia; in the meantime, the emergence of two Asian powers, India and China, has attracted the most international attention. Although these two countries have a history of civilizational friendship, they currently see each other as rivals more than anything else. While both have unresolved border disputes, in recent decades, the Indian Ocean has become a place of strategic rivalry for both countries. Since the seas play an essential role in gaining the power of great powers, the dream of becoming a great power will only come true with the influence of the seas and water. This research, which investigated the rivalry between India and China in the Indian Ocean, shows that the rivalry of both countries in this region is more than anything else for the purpose and motivation of gaining power, which both countries are looking for.
Open Access
The Roots of Indonesia's Resilience Against Violent Extremism
(Pusat Pengkajian Islam dan Masyarakat (PPIM) Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, 2021) Jamhari; Testriono
This article explores Indonesia’s institutional foundations to understand the country’s resilience against violent extremism. First, Pancasila has been the foundation of an inclusive state that can bind Indonesian diversity. Second, multiparty elections allow Islamist groups to participate in politics and express their aspirations constitutionally, thus moderating their violent strategies. Third, the support of the largest Islamic organizations, especially NU and Muhammadiyah, for counterterrorism and law enforcement against extremist orchestrated by the government. Both organizations exhibit a stronghold essential to countering the Salafi jihadist ideology. However, although infrequent and small in scale, the continued acts of violent extremism in Indonesia have shown that there is still room for the terrorist ideology to grow. Some Islamic educational institutions deliberately educate students to support Islamism, and some students are introduced to Salafi jihadist ideology. Such a development should serve as a warning for the government to pay more attention to the curriculum and teachers, especially in Islamic educational institutions.